Before (end of 1981) (57 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 31 · Conservative 25 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 1 · Other 0
After (end of 1982) (57 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 30 · Conservative 24 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 3 · Other 0
Ward results
Ashton1 seat · turnout 44.1%
| R. Ball | Conservative | 1,133 |
| K. Atkins | Labour | 618 |
| A. Carmichael | Lib/Sdp | 436 |
Avenham1 seat · turnout 47.2%
| P. Hulse | Lib/Sdp | 947 |
| Danny Burns | Labour | 883 |
| J Meredith | Conservative | 373 |
Brookfield1 seat · turnout 43.4%
| R. Atkinson | Labour | 1,249 |
| M. Sugars | Conservative | 668 |
| G. Thompson | Lib/Sdp | 367 |
Cadley1 seat · turnout 43.2%
| N. Livingstone | Conservative | 1,624 ✓ |
| B. Moore | Lib/Sdp | 336 |
| D. Norris | Labour | 236 |
| E. White | Independent | 100 |
Central1 seat · turnout 42.9%
| F. McGrath | Labour | 930 |
| J. Hayes | Conservative | 352 |
| D. McGarry | Lib/Sdp | 283 |
Deepdale1 seat · turnout 49.3%
| A. Richardson | Labour | 1,310 |
| J. Southworth | Conservative | 969 |
| J. Hanney | Lib/Sdp | 165 |
Greyfriars1 seat · turnout 45.9%
| P. Worrall | Conservative | 1,774 |
| A. Thomas | Lib/Sdp | 397 |
| C. Wootton | Labour | 136 |
Ingol1 seat · turnout 50.7%
| J. Wright | Lib/Sdp | 807 |
| G. Wilkins | Conservative | 615 |
| J. Balshaw | Labour | 434 |
Larches1 seat · turnout 42.1%
| G. Walmsley | Labour | 1,025 |
| E. Ogden | Conservative | 769 |
| S. Lord | Lib/Sdp | 440 |
MOORBROOK1 seat · turnout 46.6%
| L. Cartwright | Conservative | 909 |
| P. Jackson | Labour | 701 |
| M. Connolly | Lib/Sdp | 347 |
Preston Rural East1 seat · turnout 32.4%
| R. Johnson | Conservative | 1,149 |
| H Oldcorn | Labour | 127 |
Preston Rural West1 seat · turnout 35.1%
| N. Taylor | Conservative | 1,952 |
| C. Merron | Lib/Sdp | 419 |
| C. Sutherland | Labour | 243 |
Ribbleton1 seat · turnout 36.0%
| P. Rankin | Labour | 1,007 |
| C. Rigby | Conservative | 356 |
| P. Noblett | Lib/Sdp | 343 |
Sharoe Green1 seat · turnout 44.9%
| J. Heatley | Conservative | 2,199 |
| N. Pearson | Lib/Sdp | 850 |
| M. Sutherland | Labour | 297 |
St. Johns1 seat · turnout 40.4%
| W. Tattersall | Labour | 884 |
| J. Watson | Conservative | 459 |
| J. Brincat-Smith | Lib/Sdp | 377 |
St. Matthews1 seat · turnout 35.0%
| M. Scowcroft | Labour | 918 |
| M. Turner | Conservative | 398 |
| M. Brierley | Lib/Sdp | 247 |
Tulketh1 seat · turnout 39.8%
| J. Johnstone | Conservative | 1,103 |
| A. Reid | Labour | 537 |
| M. Darlington | Lib/Sdp | 423 |