The fourth election to South Glamorgan County Council was held in May 1985.[1] It was preceded by the 1981 election and followed by the 1989 election.
There were wholesale boundary changes at this election. The previous multi-member wards were abolished and replaced with 62 new single-member wards. A small number of the wards remained unchanged.
Conservative and Labour candidates contested all seats, as did the Liberal candidates, now in the Alliance with the SDP. There were a smaller number of Plaid Cymru and Green Party candidates and a few Independents.
Following boundary changes, two sitting members opposed each other in the Cornerswell, Landsdowne and Llandaff North wards.
Having regained control of the authority in 1981, Labour retained control by a comfortable majority. The Liberals and SDP also made some advances in Cardiff.This table summarises the result of the elections in all wards. 62 councillors were elected.
Some of the seats where Alliance candidates were successful had the highest turnouts in the county. Among other seats, one of the highest turnouts (59.6%) was in the Rhoose with Llancarfan ward where the sitting councillor, elected as a Conservative in 1981, stood as an Independent but finished bottom of the poll.
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* existing councillor, for the same ward
o existing councillor, though because of boundary changes not for the same ward