Before (end of 1986) (60 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 38 · Conservative 16 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 6 · Other 0
After (end of 1987) (60 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 38 · Conservative 15 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 7 · Other 0
Ward results
Astley Bridge1 seat
| J. Walsh | Conservative | 2,752 |
| S. Marsland | Labour | 1,488 |
| M. Langdon | Lib/Sdp | 787 |
Blackrod1 seat
| K. Helsby | Labour | 1,646 ✓ |
| J. Barrow | Conservative | 1,533 |
| C. Kay | Lib/Sdp | 806 |
| L. Watkinson | Ind Lab | 467 |
Bradshaw1 seat
| E. Crook | Conservative | 2,537 |
| P. McFadden | Labour | 1,068 |
| A. Steele | Lib/Sdp | 966 |
Breightmet1 seat
| D. Grime | Labour | 2,185 |
| P. Jones | Conservative | 1,626 |
| B. Dunning | Lib/Sdp | 716 |
Bromley Cross1 seat
| A. Wilkinson | Conservative | 2,665 |
| D. Doxsey | Labour | 1,236 |
| D. Poole | Lib/Sdp | 1,010 |
Burnden1 seat
| P. Birch | Labour | 2,041 |
| F. Hunter | Conservative | 1,299 |
| P. Howarth | Lib/Sdp | 558 |
Daubhill1 seat
| M. Donaghy | Labour | 2,308 ✓ |
| J. Cosgrave | Conservative | 1,234 |
| R. Ronson | Lib/Sdp | 439 |
| J. Hamilton | Independent | 82 |
Deane-cum-Heaton1 seat
| J. Hanscomb | Conservative | 3,484 |
| P. Boardman | Labour | 1,288 |
| C. Macpherson | Lib/Sdp | 1,193 |
Derby1 seat · turnout 43.9%
| K. Peters | Labour | 3,123 |
| W. Ingham | Conservative | 731 |
| L. Easterman | Lib/Sdp | 436 |
Farnworth1 seat
| W. Hardman | Labour | 2,230 |
| C. Adams | Conservative | 700 |
| L. Sanderson | Lib/Sdp | 493 |
Halliwell1 seat
| C. Morris | Labour | 2,282 |
| A. Halliwell | Lib/Sdp | 1,226 |
| E. Holland | Conservative | 1,049 |
Harper Green1 seat
| M. Atkinson | Labour | 2,479 |
| L. Cosgrave | Conservative | 885 |
| G. Willis | Lib/Sdp | 817 |
Horwich1 seat
| E. McCracken | Labour | 2,309 |
| I. Hamilton | Lib/Sdp | 1,916 |
| S. Dawson | Conservative | 1,725 |
Hulton Park1 seat
| G. Smith | Conservative | 2,267 |
| P. Cooper | Lib/Sdp | 1,961 |
| P. Entwistle | Labour | 1,053 |
Kearsley1 seat
| W. Robinson | Labour | 2,210 |
| J. Rothwell | Lib/Sdp | 1,595 |
| N. Houlcroft | Conservative | 687 |
Little Lever1 seat
| D. Dziubas | Conservative | 2,229 |
| S. Jones | Labour | 1,580 |
| K. Banks | Lib/Sdp | 632 |
Smithills1 seat
| F. Harasiwka | Lib/Sdp | 2,376 |
| C. Shaw | Conservative | 1,899 |
| J. Ward | Labour | 631 |
Tonge1 seat
| D. Clare | Labour | 2,317 |
| T. Ryle | Conservative | 1,438 |
| L. Shepherd | Lib/Sdp | 570 |
Westhoughton1 seat
| P. Finch | Labour | 1,228 ✓ |
| P. Mather | Lib/Sdp | 1,170 |
| J. Cowburn | Conservative | 769 |
| P. James | Independent | 262 |