Before (end of 2001) (72 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 68 · Liberal Democrats 3 · Conservative 1 · Other 0
After (end of 2002) (72 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 65 · Liberal Democrats 3 · Conservative 2 · Other 2
Ward results
Abram1 seat · turnout 28.1%
| Eunice Smethurst | Labour | 1,631 ✓ |
| Dennis Shambley | BNP | 571 |
| Alicia Eccles | Conservative | 292 |
Ashton-Golborne1 seat · turnout 26.8%
| Andrew Bullen | Labour | 1,313 ✓ |
| Stanley Barnes | — | 1,250 |
| Jonathan Charles Cartwright | Conservative | 300 |
| Marian Markham | — | 100 |
Aspull-Standish1 seat · turnout 38.1%
| John Hilton | Labour | 1,584 ✓ |
| Trevor Beswick | Liberal Democrats | 1,091 |
| Barry Woolley | Conservative | 792 |
| Janet Phillips | — | 105 |
Atherton1 seat · turnout 28.6%
| Susan Loudon | Labour | 1,353 ✓ |
| Patricia Myler | Liberal Democrats | 827 |
| Ann Davies | Conservative | 155 |
| Stephen Shallcross | Independent | 132 |
Bedford-Astley1 seat
| Frederick Walker | Labour | 0 ✓ |
Beech Hill1 seat
| G Rankin | Labour | 1,416 ✓ |
| M Hudson | Liberal Democrats | 774 |
| W Hurst | Independent | 252 |
Bryn1 seat · turnout 29.4%
| Jamie Hodgkinson | — | 1,397 ✓ |
| Alan Melling | Labour | 1,311 |
| Marion Green | Conservative | 200 |
Hindley1 seat · turnout 21.1%
| William Shaw | Labour | 1,656 ✓ |
| Andrew Stuart Walker | Conservative | 567 |
Hindley Green1 seat
| William Simmons | Labour | 1,535 ✓ |
| Rosina Oxley | Conservative | 580 |
Hindsford1 seat · turnout 28.5%
| Neil Hogg | Liberal Democrats | 1,724 ✓ |
| Philip Loudon | Labour | 1,024 |
| Steve Hall | Independent | 234 |
| Andrew Graham | Conservative | 125 |
Hope Carr1 seat · turnout 33.3%
| Kevin Anderson | Labour | 1,498 ✓ |
| Ann Oxley | Conservative | 713 |
| Peter Solinas | — | 549 |
| Keith Fry | — | 104 |
Ince1 seat · turnout 21.1%
| Joan Hurst | Labour | 1,231 ✓ |
| Michael Doherty | — | 200 |
| Robert Rees | Conservative | 176 |
Langtree1 seat · turnout 28.6%
| John O'Neill | Labour | 1,733 ✓ |
| Gareth Fairhurst | Conservative | 988 |
| Freda Janet Graham | Liberal Democrats | 607 |
Leigh Central1 seat
| Lord Smith of Leigh | Labour | 1,298 ✓ |
| Timothy John Matthews | Conservative | 301 |
| Daniel Burrows | — | 212 |
Leigh East1 seat · turnout 18.9%
| Anne Turnock | Labour | 1,571 ✓ |
| Derek Davies | Conservative | 454 |
Lightshaw1 seat · turnout 34.9%
| Peter Franzen | — | 1,899 ✓ |
| Tom Sherratt | Labour | 1,776 |
| James Grundy | Conservative | 581 |
Newtown1 seat · turnout 18.4%
| Christine Hitchen | Labour | 1,204 ✓ |
| Barry Conway | — | 332 |
Norley1 seat · turnout 17.8%
| Jeanette Prescott | Labour | 1,017 ✓ |
| Will Markham | — | 195 |
Orrell1 seat · turnout 30.2%
| Ernest Swift | Labour | 1,478 ✓ |
| Stuart Foy | Conservative | 1,336 |
Swinley1 seat · turnout 34.3%
| James Jeffrey Leighton Davies | Conservative | 1,189 ✓ |
| Susan Turner | Labour | 1,084 |
| Ashleigh Robinson | Liberal Democrats | 365 |
| Stephen Halsall | Independent | 241 |
| Frances Thomas | — | 65 |
Tyldesley East1 seat · turnout 20.7%
| Brian Wilson | Labour | 1,574 ✓ |
| Richard Derricutt | Liberal Democrats | 866 |
Whelley1 seat · turnout 24.0%
| James Alexander Roberts | Labour | 1,391 ✓ |
| Jean Beswick | Liberal Democrats | 427 |
| Judith Ford | — | 138 |
Winstanley1 seat · turnout 19.8%
| Wyn Evans | Labour | 1,667 ✓ |
| Richard Clayton | Conservative | 895 |
Worsley Mesnes1 seat · turnout 20.2%
| William Rotherham | Labour | 1,427 ✓ |
| Thomas Sutton | Conservative | 292 |
| Jacqueline Pointon | — | 189 |