Before (end of 1995) (60 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 43 · Conservative 11 · Liberal Democrats 6 · Other 0
After (end of 1996) (60 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 48 · Liberal Democrats 6 · Conservative 6 · Other 0
Ward results
Astley Bridge1 seat
| Barbara Ramsden | Labour | 1,954 ✓ |
| Hilary Fairclough | Conservative | 1,899 |
| S. Howarth | Liberal Democrats | 429 |
Blackrod1 seat
| E. Johnson | Labour | 1,589 ✓ |
| L Watkinson | Ind Lab | 842 |
| C Moss | Conservative | 824 |
| D Watts | Liberal Democrats | 428 |
Bradshaw1 seat
| G Butterworth | Labour | 1,782 ✓ |
| W. Hall | Conservative | 1,492 |
| I. Peacock | Liberal Democrats | 432 |
Breightmet1 seat
| J. Byrne | Labour | 2,134 ✓ |
| P Brown | Conservative | 491 |
| E. Hill | Liberal Democrats | 315 |
Bromley Cross1 seat
| N. Critchley | Conservative | 2,072 ✓ |
| A McCawley | Labour | 1,778 |
| C. Atty | Liberal Democrats | 418 |
Burnden1 seat
| D. Eastwood | Labour | 1,907 ✓ |
| R Wood | Conservative | 425 |
| D. Connor | Liberal Democrats | 394 |
Central1 seat
| R. Howarth | Labour | 2,052 ✓ |
| J. Bradley | Conservative | 447 |
| R. Silvester | Liberal Democrats | 146 |
Daubhill1 seat
| T. Anderton | Labour | 2,024 ✓ |
| F Tebbutt | Conservative | 383 |
| Margaret Rothwell | Liberal Democrats | 226 |
Deane-cum-Heaton1 seat
| Rushton F. | Conservative | 2,383 ✓ |
| E. Walker | Labour | 1,877 |
| C Gregory | Liberal Democrats | 640 |
Farnworth1 seat
| A. Spencer | Labour | 1,874 ✓ |
| P. Balmer | Conservative | 1,027 |
| D. Bailey | Conservative | 208 |
| W. Crook | Liberal Democrats | 204 |
Halliwell1 seat
| Linda Thomas | Labour | 1,919 ✓ |
| I Greenhalgh | Liberal Democrats | 572 |
| A. Osborn | Conservative | 382 |
Harper Green1 seat
| Margaret Clare | Labour | 1,862 ✓ |
| K. Ward | Conservative | 297 |
| Rosalind Harasiwka | Liberal Democrats | 206 |
Horwich1 seat
| Barbara Ronson | Liberal Democrats | 2,837 ✓ |
| I Ali | Labour | 1,105 |
| P Barron | Conservative | 917 |
Hulton Park1 seat
| Joyce Kellett | Labour | 1,677 ✓ |
| C. Higson | Conservative | 1,411 |
| D. Gradwell | Liberal Democrats | 911 |
Kearsley1 seat
| D. Burrows | Labour | 1,847 ✓ |
| J. Rothwell | Liberal Democrats | 956 |
| A. Bonomy | Conservative | 191 |
Little Lever1 seat
| Maureen Connell | Labour | 2,088 ✓ |
| S. Jinks | Conservative | 1,078 |
| Laura Baron | Liberal Democrats | 227 |
Smithills1 seat
| Carole Swarbrick | Liberal Democrats | 2,088 ✓ |
| Anne Page | Labour | 885 |
| J. Walsh | Conservative | 746 |
Tonge1 seat
| M. McFadden | Labour | 1,913 ✓ |
| J Evans | Conservative | 535 |
| P. Howarth | Liberal Democrats | 277 |
Westhoughton1 seat
| K. Jones | Labour | 1,493 ✓ |
| Edgar Hill | Liberal Democrats | 1,296 |
| D. Bagnall | Conservative | 298 |