Before (end of 1997) (57 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 32 · Conservative 13 · Liberal Democrats 12 · Other 0
After (end of 1998) (57 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 30 · Liberal Democrats 13 · Conservative 13 · Other 1
Ward results
Ashton1 seat · turnout 36.7%
| R. Ball | Conservative | 1,104 ✓ |
| G Greenidge | Labour | 540 |
| J Fitzgerald | Liberal Democrats | 114 |
Avenham1 seat · turnout 24.4%
| R. Atkins | Labour | 826 ✓ |
| L Hammond | Conservative | 199 |
| R. Zimny | Liberal Democrats | 175 |
Brookfield1 seat · turnout 19.3%
| R. Atkinson | Labour | 544 ✓ |
| Rowena Ann Edmondson | Conservative | 212 |
| J. Abram | Liberal Democrats | 108 |
Cadley1 seat · turnout 41.0%
| A. Hackett | Liberal Democrats | 1,358 ✓ |
| Balshaw P. | Conservative | 535 |
| P Malliband | Labour | 112 |
Central1 seat · turnout 17.2%
| G. Walmsley | Labour | 769 ✓ |
| D. Barber | Conservative | 195 |
| M. Middleton | Liberal Democrats | 185 |
Deepdale1 seat · turnout 38.5%
| T Cartwright | Labour | 1,007 ✓ |
| M Jiwa | Ind Lab | 398 |
| U Zinga | Liberal Democrats | 289 |
| Sheila Heys | Conservative | 175 |
Fishwick1 seat · turnout 20.8%
| I. Patel | Labour | 517 ✓ |
| D. Hammond | Conservative | 202 |
| W. Gavin | Liberal Democrats | 158 |
Greyfriars1 seat · turnout 44.6%
| D. Chaloner | Conservative | 1,307 ✓ |
| C Hughes | Liberal Democrats | 784 |
| A. Milne-Picken | Labour | 118 |
Ingol1 seat · turnout 25.4%
| R. Marshall | Liberal Democrats | 897 ✓ |
| C Abbot | Labour | 251 |
| P Randles | Conservative | 158 |
Larches1 seat · turnout 29.1%
| J Willacy | Liberal Democrats | 666 ✓ |
| J. Swindells | Labour | 461 |
| P Halshaw | Conservative | 125 |
Moor Park1 seat · turnout 32.1%
| M Moulding | Liberal Democrats | 725 ✓ |
| G. Di Cioccio | Labour | 638 |
| K. Sedgewick | Conservative | 312 |
Preston Rural East1 seat · turnout 30.1%
| Hudson K. | Conservative | 1,206 ✓ |
| J. Houghton | Labour | 175 |
| E. Rowland | Liberal Democrats | 166 |
Preston Rural West1 seat · turnout 32.5%
| R Nash | Liberal Democrats | 1,033 ✓ |
| N. Cartwright | Conservative | 938 |
| M. Clegg | Labour | 231 |
Ribbleton1 seat · turnout 16.8%
| P. Woods | Labour | 512 ✓ |
| Jane Balshaw | Conservative | 147 |
| A. Riedel | Liberal Democrats | 123 |
Riversway1 seat · turnout 22.4%
| Elaine Abbot | Labour | 717 ✓ |
| S. Brown | Conservative | 240 |
| A. Valentine | Liberal Democrats | 207 |
Sharoe Green1 seat · turnout 37.1%
| Elizabeth Clarkson | Conservative | 1,039 ✓ |
| M. Turner | Liberal Democrats | 661 |
| A McLaren | Labour | 182 |
Sherwood1 seat
| Jennifer Greenhalgh | Conservative | 1,232 ✓ |
| T. Mattinson | Labour | 379 |
| M. Maritan | Liberal Democrats | 327 |
St. Matthews1 seat · turnout 22.1%
| A. Richardson | Labour | 766 ✓ |
| P. Pugh | Conservative | 188 |
| Mavis Cooper | Liberal Democrats | 138 |
Tulketh1 seat · turnout 24.5%
| S. Wilkinson | Labour | 669 ✓ |
| S. Halshaw | Conservative | 419 |
| N Sumner | Liberal Democrats | 196 |