Before (end of 1987) (54 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 43 · Conservative 9 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 2 · Other 0
After (end of 1988) (54 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 40 · Conservative 8 · Liberal Democrats 6 · Other 0
Ward results
Billinge & Seneley Green1 seat
| M. Egan | Labour | 2,426 |
| M. Saunders | Conservative | 1,805 |
| R. Ferry | SLD | 322 |
Blackbrook2 seats
| J. Young | Labour | 1,428 |
| S. Shields | Labour | 1,342 |
| J. Foster | Conservative | 285 |
| E. Huyton | Conservative | 230 |
| A. Haworth | SLD | 189 |
| R. Nutter | SLD | 138 |
Broad Oak1 seat
| S. Honey | SLD | 1,875 |
| J. Hickling | Labour | 1,250 |
| M. Collins | Conservative | 108 |
Grange Park1 seat
| E. Eden | Labour | 1,535 |
| E. Clough | Conservative | 487 |
| P. Varnes | SLD | 203 |
Haydock1 seat
| J. Caunce | Labour | 2,723 |
| C. Foster | Conservative | 422 |
| T. Gadsden | SLD | 169 |
Marshalls Cross1 seat
| G. Brown | Labour | 1,223 |
| J. Beirne | SLD | 496 |
| I. Hunter | Conservative | 225 |
Moss Bank1 seat
| J. Littler | Labour | 1,665 |
| L. Harvey | Conservative | 730 |
| P. Pennington | SLD | 268 |
Newton East1 seat
| D. Crowther | SLD | 1,962 |
| S. Knight | Labour | 1,476 |
| B. Honey | Conservative | 389 |
Newton West1 seat
| S. Derbyshire | SLD | 2,056 |
| R. Knight | Labour | 1,705 |
| Lloyd-Pepperell L. | Conservative | 139 |
Parr & Hardshaw1 seat
| J. Fletcher | Labour | 1,652 |
| I. Clough | Conservative | 171 |
| D. Watmough | SLD | 137 |
Rainford1 seat
| R. Smith | Conservative | 1,415 |
| A. Smith | Labour | 834 |
| R. O'Connor | SLD | 521 |
Rainhill1 seat
| M. Doyle | Labour | 2,095 ✓ |
| G. Cottom | Conservative | 997 |
| D. Smithwick | Independent | 616 |
| D. Dawson | SLD | 151 |
Sutton & Bold1 seat
| J. Ingham | Labour | 1,371 |
| B. Spencer | SLD | 915 |
| P. Higham | Conservative | 263 |
Thatto Heath1 seat
| M. Rimmer | Labour | 2,242 |
| E. Anderton | Conservative | 384 |
| J. Mooney | SLD | 244 |
West Sutton1 seat
| T. Hargreaves | Labour | 1,483 |
| C. Lindon | Conservative | 233 |
| H. Smedley | SLD | 182 |
Windle1 seat
| W. Marriott | Conservative | 1,455 |
| B. Hart | Labour | 1,154 |
| R. Watmough | SLD | 235 |