Before (end of 1996) (41 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 36 · Conservative 5 · Other 0 · Liberal Democrats 0
After (end of 1997) (41 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 36 · Conservative 5 · Liberal Democrats 0 · Other 0
Ward results
Central & Westminster1 seat · turnout 70.3%
| D. Bateman | Labour | 5,901 ✓ |
| H Bell | Conservative | 931 |
| C. Forster | Liberal Democrats | 620 |
Grange & Rossmore1 seat · turnout 75.1%
| G. Edwards | Labour | 4,626 ✓ |
| Johanna Howell | Conservative | 1,136 |
| P Martinson | Liberal Democrats | 551 |
Groves & Whitby1 seat · turnout 79.6%
| Patricia Hayward | Labour | 4,795 ✓ |
| G Howell | Conservative | 2,732 |
| D. Davies | Liberal Democrats | 1,104 |
Neston & Parkgate1 seat · turnout 77.9%
| D Rudd | Labour | 3,776 ✓ |
| R Andrews | Conservative | 3,497 |
| J Gaskell | Liberal Democrats | 1,078 |
South Wirral1 seat · turnout 79.2%
| G. Hardwick | Conservative | 4,245 ✓ |
| R. Hayward | Labour | 3,695 |
| G Handley | Liberal Democrats | 1,344 |
Sutton & Rivacre1 seat · turnout 74.0%
| L. Toale | Labour | 5,486 ✓ |
| A Merrill | Conservative | 1,658 |
| Handley M . Ms | Liberal Democrats | 1,162 |