One third of Reading Borough Council's 45 seats were up for election.

The election saw the Conservatives lose their majority on the council.

Labour subsequently took control of the council, with the support of two disaffected Conservatives.

[1] The Labour leader, Mike Orton, took the council's top political job as chair of the policy committee.

[3] The results in each ward were as follows (candidates with an asterisk* were the previous incumbent standing for re-election, candidates with a dagger(†) were sitting councillors contesting different wards):[4][3] The Peppard ward by-election in 1986 was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Geoff Lowe.