Before (end of 1995) (60 seats, Elections Centre)
Liberal Democrats 41 · Conservative 15 · Other 2 · Labour 2
After (end of 1996) (59 seats, Elections Centre)
Liberal Democrats 44 · Conservative 10 · Labour 4 · Other 1
Ward results
Almscliffe1 seat · turnout 39.4%
| I Galloway | Conservative | 540 ✓ |
| P Guenin | Independent | 169 |
| Paul Mountain | Labour | 91 |
Bilton1 seat · turnout 37.2%
| I. White | Liberal Democrats | 1,358 ✓ |
| D. Havercroft | Labour | 584 |
| K Maynard | Conservative | 242 |
Claro1 seat · turnout 43.2%
| W. Brewis | Conservative | 590 ✓ |
| N Stringer | Liberal Democrats | 186 |
| P. Foxall | Labour | 83 |
Duchy1 seat · turnout 32.3%
| P. Walker | Liberal Democrats | 1,006 ✓ |
| M Graham | Conservative | 859 |
| K. Macdonald | Labour | 249 |
East Central1 seat · turnout 31.7%
| G. Crowther | Liberal Democrats | 914 ✓ |
| V. Harrison | Conservative | 367 |
| S Hutchings | Labour | 344 |
Granby1 seat · turnout 34.4%
| D. Stokes | Liberal Democrats | 1,093 ✓ |
| Alice Macdonald | Labour | 579 |
| L Fellows | Conservative | 250 |
Harlow1 seat
| G Robinson | Liberal Democrats | 1,189 |
| D Lyons | Conservative | 1,130 |
| A Blakesley | Labour | 189 |
Killinghall1 seat · turnout 32.6%
| S. Mould | Liberal Democrats | 461 ✓ |
| H Dougill | Conservative | 392 |
| A Currie | Labour | 116 |
Knaresborough East1 seat · turnout 37.7%
| David Ryland Goode | Liberal Democrats | 872 ✓ |
| N Macdonald | Conservative | 775 |
| M Hayton | Labour | 583 |
Knaresborough West1 seat · turnout 36.9%
| J. Gowing | Labour | 802 ✓ |
| D. Taylor | Conservative | 681 |
| A. Hetherington | Liberal Democrats | 539 |
Lower Nidderdale1 seat · turnout 46.0%
| R. Whitfield | Conservative | 464 ✓ |
| B. Rickards | Liberal Democrats | 330 |
| B Robinson | Labour | 69 |
Nether Poppleton1 seat · turnout 17.1%
| G Fenwicke-Clennell | Conservative | 215 ✓ |
| T Woodward | Liberal Democrats | 105 |
| L. Van Hoff | Labour | 38 |
New Park1 seat · turnout 33.3%
| W. Richards | Liberal Democrats | 620 ✓ |
| A Barrand | Conservative | 210 |
| L. White | Labour | 163 |
Pannal1 seat · turnout 53.6%
| C. Trotter | Conservative | 1,539 ✓ |
| M. Hart | Liberal Democrats | 1,087 |
| P Caunt | Labour | 97 |
Ripon East1 seat · turnout 22.1%
| C. Ryan | Labour | 712 ✓ |
| D. Carter | Conservative | 571 |
Ripon West1 seat · turnout 28.3%
| S. Jones | Liberal Democrats | 1,005 ✓ |
| D Franklin | Conservative | 593 |
Starbeck1 seat · turnout 28.6%
| B. Haxby | Liberal Democrats | 972 ✓ |
| Geoff Foxall | Labour | 334 |
| J. Clark | Conservative | 236 |
Wedderburn1 seat · turnout 36.4%
| C. Kelley | Liberal Democrats | 1,251 ✓ |
| M Laycock | Conservative | 725 |
| R Swithinbank | Labour | 205 |
West Central1 seat
| J Frobisher | Conservative | 654 |
| C. Colman | Labour | 204 |
West Central1 seat
| R. Timmis | Liberal Democrats | 878 ✓ |