Before (end of 1981) (60 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 39 · Conservative 20 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 1 · Other 0
After (end of 1982) (60 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 36 · Conservative 21 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 3 · Other 0
Ward results
Astley Bridge1 seat
| D. Johnson | Conservative | 2,088 |
| I. Greenhalgh | Lib/Sdp | 822 |
| D. McEneaney | Labour | 698 |
Blackrod1 seat
| J. Monaghan | Labour | 1,768 |
| I. Ikin | Conservative | 1,197 |
| D. Boyes | Lib/Sdp | 750 |
Bradshaw1 seat
| A. O'Neill | Conservative | 2,135 |
| A. Halliwell | Lib/Sdp | 988 |
| G. Lever | Labour | 715 |
Breightmet1 seat
| C. Benjamin | Labour | 1,745 |
| A. Chadbond | Conservative | 1,504 |
| D. Lee | Lib/Sdp | 824 |
Bromley Cross1 seat
| B. Hurst | Conservative | 1,885 |
| J. Hampson | Lib/Sdp | 1,312 |
| D. Doxsey | Labour | 736 |
Deane-cum-Heaton1 seat
| B. Allanson | Conservative | 3,210 |
| I. Hamilton | Lib/Sdp | 1,057 |
| J. Knight | Labour | 881 |
Derby1 seat · turnout 35.0%
| G. Riley | Labour | 2,580 ✓ |
| J. Walsh | Conservative | 498 |
| C. Moore | Lib/Sdp | 481 |
| A. Johnson | COMM | 81 |
Halliwell1 seat
| D. Walmsley | Lib/Sdp | 1,226 |
| R. Johnson | Labour | 1,214 |
| L. Keighley | Conservative | 854 |
Harper Green1 seat
| L. Williamson | Labour | 1,641 |
| L. Sanderson | Lib/Sdp | 1,189 |
| T. McKnight | COMM | 98 |
Hulton Park1 seat
| M. Prince | Conservative | 1,767 |
| H. Wise | Lib/Sdp | 826 |
| E. McCracken | Labour | 798 |
Kearsley1 seat
| J. Rothwell | Lib/Sdp | 1,645 |
| D. Dingwall | Labour | 1,449 |
| A. Waterson | Conservative | 570 |
Little Lever1 seat
| A. Lawton | Conservative | 1,914 |
| E. Walker | Labour | 966 |
| F. Bridges | Lib/Sdp | 895 |
Smithills1 seat
| D. Priestley | Conservative | 1,974 |
| F. Harasiwka | Lib/Sdp | 1,023 |
| J. Jenkins | Labour | 597 |
Tonge1 seat
| K. Knowles | Conservative | 1,634 |
| C. Scull | Labour | 1,250 |
| E. West | Lib/Sdp | 608 |
Westhoughton1 seat
| P. Jones | Labour | 978 |
| D. Wilkinson | Lib/Sdp | 976 |
| G. Hanley | Conservative | 530 |