Before (end of 1987) (60 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 55 · Conservative 5 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 0 · Other 0
After (end of 1988) (60 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 54 · Conservative 5 · Other 1 · Liberal Democrats 0
Ward results
Barton1 seat · turnout 33.9%
| G. Edwards | Labour | 2,073 |
| A. Morris | Conservative | 471 |
| J. McGarry | SLD | 190 |
Blackfriars1 seat · turnout 26.5%
| J. Hincks | Labour | 1,626 |
| E. Shepherd | COMM | 142 |
Broughton1 seat · turnout 34.0%
| J. King | Labour | 2,051 |
| A. Knowles | Conservative | 483 |
Eccles1 seat · turnout 45.8%
| H. Blears | Labour | 2,229 |
| D. Astbury | Conservative | 1,708 |
| A. McGarry | SLD | 457 |
Irlam1 seat
| R. Lightup | Labour | 0 ✓ |
Kersal1 seat · turnout 38.5%
| R. Fowler | Labour | 1,646 ✓ |
| B. Roth | Conservative | 1,000 |
| W. Bergson | SDP | 779 |
| A. Duncan | SLD | 232 |
Langworthy1 seat · turnout 25.9%
| H. Wrigley | Labour | 1,767 |
| S. Wilkie | Conservative | 340 |
Little Hulton1 seat · turnout 29.6%
| P. Rossi | Labour | 2,231 |
| E. Barber | Conservative | 504 |
Ordsall1 seat · turnout 30.4%
| K. Murray | Labour | 1,003 |
| C. Simmons | SLD | 397 |
| P Pessagno | Conservative | 83 |
Pendlebury1 seat · turnout 34.8%
| Patricia Lea | Labour | 2,738 |
| Marjorie Weston | Conservative | 1,074 |
Swinton North1 seat · turnout 35.1%
| B. Hurst | Labour | 2,370 |
| J Hardman | Conservative | 783 |
| M. Doyle | SLD | 364 |
Swinton South1 seat · turnout 41.0%
| C. Hinds | Labour | 2,081 |
| D. Bell | Conservative | 1,883 |
| A. Winstanley | SLD | 335 |
Walkden South1 seat · turnout 39.9%
| K. Bruton | Labour | 2,448 |
| G. Berry | Conservative | 1,741 |
Weaste & Seedley1 seat · turnout 34.1%
| D. Jolley | Labour | 1,828 |
| G Dyet | Conservative | 727 |
| M. Crowther | SLD | 263 |
Winton1 seat · turnout 33.0%
| J. Burrows | Labour | 2,313 |
| J. Bolton | Conservative | 627 |
| J. Kay | SLD | 283 |
