Before (end of 1995) (54 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 40 · Liberal Democrats 10 · Conservative 3 · Other 1
After (end of 1996) (54 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 44 · Liberal Democrats 9 · Conservative 1 · Other 0
Ward results
Billinge & Seneley Green1 seat · turnout 26.5%
| N Bullock | Labour | 2,016 ✓ |
| J. Hall | Conservative | 505 |
| R. Ferry | Liberal Democrats | 255 |
Blackbrook1 seat · turnout 18.6%
| Andy Bowden | Labour | 1,115 ✓ |
| S. Broughton | Liberal Democrats | 171 |
| I. Brown | Conservative | 93 |
Broad Oak1 seat
| K. Roberts | Labour | 1,237 ✓ |
| S. Honey | LIB | 898 |
| A. Dudfield | Independent | 318 ✓ |
| P. Partington | Liberal Democrats | 121 |
| D. Thompson | Labour | 115 |
| Mike Harvey | Conservative | 29 |
Eccleston1 seat · turnout 37.0%
| Geoff Pearl | Liberal Democrats | 1,209 ✓ |
| W. Crosby | Conservative | 1,014 |
| G. Smallwood | Labour | 871 |
Grange Park1 seat · turnout 22.2%
| T. Worth | Labour | 1,271 ✓ |
| S Clintworth | Liberal Democrats | 218 |
| E. Anderton | Conservative | 191 |
Haydock1 seat · turnout 26.6%
| J. Caunce | Labour | 1,947 ✓ |
| C. Worthington | Liberal Democrats | 194 |
| R Bolton | Conservative | 162 |
Marshalls Cross1 seat · turnout 34.9%
| K. Brown | Liberal Democrats | 1,136 ✓ |
| W Wood | Labour | 930 |
| Jill Jones | Conservative | 47 |
| J. Foster | LIB | 20 |
Moss Bank1 seat · turnout 35.3%
| Ward R. | Labour | 1,726 ✓ |
| B. Halsall | Liberal Democrats | 1,083 |
| W. Highcock | Conservative | 134 |
| D. Bond | LIB | 46 |
Newton East1 seat · turnout 39.2%
| Suzanne Knight | Liberal Democrats | 1,454 ✓ |
| D. Connolly | Labour | 1,399 |
| S Meall | Conservative | 124 |
| D Gleave | LIB | 38 |
Newton West2 seats · turnout 29.1%
| M Schofield | Labour | 1,415 ✓ |
| S. Whitehead | Labour | 1,358 ✓ |
| S. Derbyshire | Liberal Democrats | 921 |
| N. Taylor | Liberal Democrats | 663 |
| B. Honey | Conservative | 152 |
| K Hazeldine | LIB | 108 |
| S Holt | Conservative | 85 |
Parr & Hardshaw1 seat · turnout 21.9%
| Fletcher J. | Labour | 1,289 ✓ |
| S Partington | Liberal Democrats | 101 |
| Pauline Wilcock | Conservative | 57 |
Queens Park1 seat · turnout 29.0%
| B. Cook | Labour | 1,449 ✓ |
| Mandy Stanley | Liberal Democrats | 520 |
| Barbara Evelyn Woodcock | Conservative | 127 |
Rainford1 seat · turnout 43.0%
| Betty Lowe | Conservative | 1,547 ✓ |
| J Appleton | Labour | 1,394 |
| Marjorie Beirne | Liberal Democrats | 133 |
Rainhill1 seat · turnout 26.9%
| Mhairi Doyle | Labour | 2,081 ✓ |
| R. Seddon | Conservative | 350 |
| A Ashton | Liberal Democrats | 220 |
Sutton & Bold1 seat · turnout 37.1%
| J. Jackson | Labour | 1,805 ✓ |
| J Mooney | Liberal Democrats | 835 |
| H Williams | Conservative | 75 |
| M. Honey | LIB | 67 |
Thatto Heath1 seat · turnout 26.9%
| Marie Rimmer | Labour | 1,608 ✓ |
| J. Dutton | Liberal Democrats | 177 |
| A Pearson | Conservative | 151 |
West Sutton1 seat · turnout 22.8%
| T. Hargreaves | Labour | 1,307 ✓ |
| J Pointon | Liberal Democrats | 137 |
| Charmain Pyke | Conservative | 62 |
Windle1 seat · turnout 33.4%
| A. Anderson | Labour | 1,405 ✓ |
| A. Rigby | Conservative | 758 |
| A. Ashall | Liberal Democrats | 212 |