Before (end of 1996) (55 seats, Elections Centre)
Liberal Democrats 21 · Labour 18 · Conservative 11 · Other 5
After (end of 1997) (55 seats, Elections Centre)
Liberal Democrats 20 · Labour 18 · Conservative 12 · Other 5
Ward results
Maidstone North East1 seat · turnout 71.9%
| M. Featherstone | Liberal Democrats | 3,330 ✓ |
| Margaret Parker | Conservative | 2,831 |
| J. Morgan | Labour | 1,983 |
| J Shalice | Green | 148 |
Maidstone Rural East1 seat · turnout 75.1%
| A. Bruce-Lockhart | Conservative | 4,822 ✓ |
| B. Harris | Liberal Democrats | 1,733 |
| A. Thompson | Labour | 1,600 |
Maidstone Rural North1 seat · turnout 77.2%
| F. Simpson | Conservative | 7,420 ✓ |
| R Parker | Labour | 2,946 |
| J Doherty | Liberal Democrats | 2,225 |
| H. Chazal | Green | 313 |
Maidstone Rural South1 seat · turnout 75.5%
| B. Trench | Conservative | 5,125 ✓ |
| L. Snelling | Liberal Democrats | 2,757 |
| J Delahunt | Labour | 2,119 |
Maidstone Rural West1 seat · turnout 78.0%
| P Oldham | Conservative | 4,188 ✓ |
| V. Routh | Liberal Democrats | 2,782 |
| S. Gould | Labour | 1,543 |
| McDonald I. | Green | 220 |
Maidstone South East1 seat · turnout 63.1%
| L Bishop | Labour | 3,087 ✓ |
| M. Taylor | Conservative | 1,711 |
| G Edy | Liberal Democrats | 944 |
| D Currer | Green | 199 |
Maidstone South West1 seat · turnout 70.3%
| P Carter | Conservative | 3,247 ✓ |
| A. Logan | Labour | 2,700 |
| C. Howard | Liberal Democrats | 1,612 |
| S. Kennedy | Green | 239 |
Maidstone West1 seat · turnout 74.6%
| A. Wainman | Liberal Democrats | 3,469 ✓ |
| B Moss | Conservative | 2,857 |
| G Hine | Labour | 1,908 |
| J. Browning | Green | 229 |
NORTH1 seat
| P. Holden-Brown | Liberal Democrats | 3,848 ✓ |
| R Jones | Conservative | 2,958 |
| P Luffman | Labour | 1,976 |