Before (end of 1996) (45 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 33 · Conservative 6 · Other 3 · Liberal Democrats 3
After (end of 1997) (45 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 33 · Conservative 6 · Liberal Democrats 3 · Other 3
Ward results
Burton1 seat
| Gordon A. | Labour | 2,550 ✓ |
| D Lodge | Conservative | 2,388 |
| J. Richardson | Liberal Democrats | 1,248 |
Desborough1 seat
| A. Allen | Labour | 2,827 ✓ |
| A. Dowling | Conservative | 1,244 |
| P. Rice | Liberal Democrats | 471 |
Ise1 seat
| R. Baker | Conservative | 1,912 ✓ |
| G. Marshall | Labour | 1,841 |
| C. McGlynn | Liberal Democrats | 753 |
Kettering Park1 seat
| J. Connolly | Labour | 2,468 ✓ |
| A Connon | Conservative | 2,036 |
| A Hayes | Liberal Democrats | 849 |
Kettering Rural1 seat
| J. Harker | Conservative | 2,912 ✓ |
| R Elias | Labour | 1,725 |
| H. Doran | Liberal Democrats | 1,013 |
Northfield1 seat
| T. Freer | Conservative | 2,954 |
| J Morrison | Labour | 2,715 |
| Alan James Window | Liberal Democrats | 965 |
St. Andrews/St. Marys1 seat
| I Watts | Labour | 2,606 ✓ |
| S Perceval-Maxwell | Conservative | 1,158 |
| J. Richardson | Liberal Democrats | 677 |
