Before (end of 1981) (60 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 36 · Conservative 23 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 1 · Other 0
After (end of 1982) (60 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 39 · Conservative 18 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 3 · Other 0
Ward results
Chadderton Central1 seat
| E. Lever | Labour | 942 |
| F. Smith | Conservative | 928 |
| K. Pendlebury | Lib/Sdp | 713 |
Chadderton North1 seat
| M. Curran | Conservative | 1,169 |
| K. Taylor | Lib/Sdp | 887 |
| J. Berry | Labour | 731 |
Chadderton South1 seat
| R. Semple | Labour | 1,826 |
| L. Castleton | Conservative | 994 |
| G. Smith | Lib/Sdp | 749 |
Coldhurst1 seat
| D. Anker | Labour | 1,584 |
| M. Fieldsend | Lib/Sdp | 562 |
| K. Hollamby | Conservative | 547 |
Crompton1 seat
| J. Tattersall | Conservative | 1,879 |
| J. Dillon | Lib/Sdp | 768 |
| C. Williams | Labour | 548 |
Failsworth East1 seat
| A. Buckley | Labour | 1,355 |
| D. Dollman | Conservative | 1,308 |
| M. Doyle | Lib/Sdp | 709 |
Failsworth West1 seat
| C. Tucker | Labour | 1,515 |
| Rowlands K. | Conservative | 977 |
| E. Joynes | Lib/Sdp | 671 |
Hollinwood1 seat
| R Wright | Labour | 1,688 ✓ |
| K. Stanley | Lib/Sdp | 491 |
| I. Smith | Conservative | 446 |
| G. Halliwell | Ind Lab | 45 |
Lees1 seat
| B. Cotton | Labour | 1,562 |
| H. Stott | Conservative | 997 |
| G. Cunningham | Lib/Sdp | 637 |
Royton North1 seat
| E. McKinley | Conservative | 1,289 |
| R. Mallinson | Labour | 1,050 |
| M. Pilkington | Lib/Sdp | 930 |
Royton South1 seat
| C. Campbell | Conservative | 993 |
| S. Brady | Labour | 892 |
| W. Hilton | Lib/Sdp | 875 |
Saddleworth East1 seat
| R. Knowles | Lib/Sdp | 2,035 |
| E. Boon | Conservative | 1,921 |
| C. Kingham | Labour | 644 |
Saddleworth West1 seat
| E. Shaw | Lib/Sdp | 1,677 |
| R. Postle | Conservative | 1,630 |
| T. Hulme | Labour | 553 |
Shaw1 seat
| E. Shaw | Conservative | 1,069 |
| M. Williamson | Labour | 976 |
| C. Hilyer | Lib/Sdp | 609 |
St James'1 seat
| A. McFayden | Labour | 1,174 |
| M. Moore | Conservative | 582 |
| J. Crees | Lib/Sdp | 575 |
St Mary's1 seat
| F. Scoltock | Labour | 1,729 |
| C. Shyne | Conservative | 888 |
| K. Mir | Lib/Sdp | 381 |
St Pauls1 seat
| J. Hughes | Conservative | 1,268 |
| T. Whelan | Labour | 1,198 |
| V. Knowles | Lib/Sdp | 895 |
Waterhead1 seat
| K. Leyden | Labour | 1,532 |
| B. Heywood | Conservative | 990 |
| F. Ratcliffe | Lib/Sdp | 809 |
Werneth1 seat
| E. Brierley | Labour | 1,725 |
| J. Farquhar | Conservative | 817 |
| A. Hilditch | Lib/Sdp | 567 |