Abbey Ward (6 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes |
| *Michael Coker | Conservative Party | 2059 |
| *John Cooke | Conservative Party | 2052 |
| *Kenneth Rawnsley | Conservative Party | 2033 |
| *Kenneth Hogarth | Conservative Party | 1991 |
| *Jack Bastock | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 1969 |
| *John Hatfield | Conservative Party | 1876 |
| John Kinnie | Conservative Party | 1762 |
| Haydn Thomas | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 1554 |
| Mary Harrison | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 1546 |
| Enys Thomas | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 1473 |
| Ann Crump | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 1450 |
| Neil Parnaby | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 1385 |
| Teresa Blackwell | Labour Party | 409 |
| Nora Everitt | Labour Party | 392 |
| Karl Lapworth | Labour Party | 333 |
| Dick Wood | Labour Party | 323 |
| Beverley Yellen | Labour Party | 301 |
Park Hill (4 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Votes |
| John Drew | Conservative Party | 1122 |
| *Spencer Harrison | Conservative Party | 1116 |
| *Tony Dalton | Conservative Party | 1091 |
| *Graham Windybank | Conservative Party | 1079 |
| Ken Griffiths | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 684 |
| Elsie Griffiths | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 669 |
| *Bob Butler | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 667 |
| Dr Joe Rivers | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 608 |
| Tony Bowen | Labour Party | 278 |
| Lesley Bowen | Labour Party | 264 |
| Robin Winn | Labour Party | 203 |
| Paul Gregg | Labour Party | 187 |
St John’s Ward (6 seats)
| Candidate | Party | Vote |
| *Bob Wooller | Conservative Party | 2383 |
| *Peggy Cox | Conservative Party | 2286 |
| *Pauline Edwards | Conservative Party | 2245 |
| *Viki McClean | Conservative Party | 2191 |
| Norman Vincent | Conservative Party | 2158 |
| Keith Turfrey | Conservative Party | 2153 |
| William Wozencroft | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 1600 |
| Vera Royston | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 1264 |
| Dennis Royston | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 1263 |
| Colin Mason | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 1145 |
| Liz Tilson | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 1139 |
| Patrick Ryan | SDP-Liberal Alliance | 1137 |
| John Bennett | Labour Party | 424 |
| Geoffrey Cleaves | Labour Party | 413 |
| Madelin Lewis | Labour Party | 391 |
| John Payne | Labour Party | 380 |
| Charlier Palmer | Labour Party | 366 |
| David Peggs | Labour Party | 344 |
*denotes retiring councillors
ALLIANCE ROUTED – FOLLOWED BY A BIG ROW
Jack Bastock (pictured), who is the only remaining Alliance town councillor, has accused the Conservatives of waging a war of ‘dirty tactics’ in the run-up to the election. But Tory group leader, Ken Rawnsley hit back with claims that the Alliance were behind a personal smear campaign against him.
Cllr Bastock said he was very concerned about the statements made by the Tories in their election address leaflets. They said that the Alliance would put an end to free car-parking in Kenilworth, when infact we have fought for free parking since 1974. They also accused us of voting against the swimming pool, when we were all in favour of getting a pool for the town. What we said was that it was not big enough and should not be put in the Abbey Fields. But Cllr Rawnsley said the complaints were “totally rubbish, from beginning to end”. I will explain our leaflets to Cllr Bastock anytime, all we did was to warn the public of the dangers of the opposition gaining control of the council.
The Tories increased their stranglehold on the council, winning 15 of the 16 seats. One noticeable new face to the Tory ranks is historian and author, John Drew, who topped the poll in Park Hill. He wrote his first book in 1969, followed by many others of his home town. He has been on TV and notabaly on radio, appearing twice on the popular BBC Radio 4’s series, Down Your Way. Three years ago the Town Council recognised his contribution to the town by naming a street after him, Drew Crescent. This was not the first town election he had contested, he had stood in the inaugural poll of 1976, as a Liberal, but failed to get elected.
Graham Windybank regained his seat following his defeat at the 1983 poll. He now has switched to the Conservatives from the Alliance.
Kenilworth Town Councillors (16 seats)
15 Conservatives (K. Rawnsley, B. Wooller, J. Cooke, P. Edwards, J. Hatfield, P. Cox, V. McClean, K. Turfrey, N. Vincent, J. Drew, S. Harrison, T. Dalton, G. Windybank, K. Hogarth, M. Coker)
1 SDP-Liberal Alliance (J. Bastock)
Mayors
1987-88 Robert Wooller
1988-89 Graham Windybank
1989-90 Michael Coker
1990-91 Pauline Edwards
Town Clerk – Susan Howell