Before (end of 1997) (48 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 41 · Conservative 4 · Liberal Democrats 3 · Other 0
After (end of 1998) (48 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 39 · Conservative 6 · Liberal Democrats 3 · Other 0
Ward results
Besses1 seat · turnout 20.4%
| C. Platt | Labour | 945 ✓ |
| E. Singer | Conservative | 257 |
| I. Hooley | Liberal Democrats | 137 |
Church1 seat · turnout 35.2%
| J Walton | Conservative | 1,460 ✓ |
| J. Smith | Labour | 1,407 |
| J Eagle | Liberal Democrats | 252 |
East1 seat
| M Connolly | Labour | 1,332 ✓ |
| R Thompson | Conservative | 353 |
Elton1 seat
| J Costello | Labour | 1,316 ✓ |
| N Hamer | Conservative | 986 |
| R. Sloss | Liberal Democrats | 236 |
Holyrood1 seat
| W Clegg | Liberal Democrats | 1,352 ✓ |
| B Hope | Labour | 724 |
| K Laughton | Conservative | 316 |
Moorside1 seat · turnout 29.2%
| D. Cassidy | Labour | 1,190 ✓ |
| R Bibby | Conservative | 999 |
| W. Rohmann | Liberal Democrats | 176 |
Pilkington Park1 seat · turnout 24.6%
| W Flood | Labour | 1,036 ✓ |
| C. Aaron | Conservative | 748 |
| N Bird | Liberal Democrats | 146 |
Radcliffe Central1 seat · turnout 25.3%
| K Scarlett | Labour | 1,514 ✓ |
| C. Dunkley | Conservative | 359 |
| M. Halsall | Liberal Democrats | 260 |
| M Campion | Independent | 62 |
Radcliffe North1 seat · turnout 27.3%
| L. Harwood | Labour | 1,421 ✓ |
| D. Bigg | Conservative | 1,009 |
| D Bentley | Independent | 260 |
| J Hooley | Liberal Democrats | 170 |
Radcliffe South1 seat
| S Perkins | Labour | 1,044 ✓ |
| P. Wright | Conservative | 691 |
| T. Tymczyna | Liberal Democrats | 158 |
Ramsbottom1 seat · turnout 28.7%
| D. Gunther | Conservative | 1,540 ✓ |
| Martina Longworth | Labour | 1,274 |
| Janet Turner | Liberal Democrats | 351 |
Redvales1 seat
| F Chaudhry | Labour | 1,381 ✓ |
| C Hall | Conservative | 456 |
| Martin Robinson-Dowland | Liberal Democrats | 236 |
Sedgley1 seat
| F. Adam | Labour | 1,217 ✓ |
| Tim Pickstone | Liberal Democrats | 550 |
| Bryan Vincent | Conservative | 538 |
St. Mary's1 seat
| J. Higson | Labour | 1,274 ✓ |
| N Singer | Conservative | 644 |
| Mary D'Albert | Liberal Democrats | 312 |
St. Marys1 seat
| N. Singer | Conservative | 644 |
| Mary D'Albert | Liberal Democrats | 312 |
Tottington1 seat · turnout 30.4%
| D. Higgin | Conservative | 1,614 ✓ |
| E. Melia | Labour | 1,060 |
| Foss D. | Liberal Democrats | 331 |
Unsworth1 seat
| G. Sharkey | Labour | 1,314 ✓ |
| S. Cohen | Conservative | 693 |
| G. Young | Liberal Democrats | 172 |