Before (end of 2002) (48 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 33 · Conservative 12 · Liberal Democrats 3 · Other 0
After (end of 2003) (48 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 28 · Conservative 16 · Liberal Democrats 4 · Other 0
Ward results
Besses1 seat · turnout 25.4%
| Derek Boden | Labour | 1,036 ✓ |
| Mark Corson Roberts | Conservative | 446 |
| Maureen Davison | Liberal Democrats | 287 |
Church1 seat
| Robert Bibby | Conservative | 1,761 ✓ |
| Leslie Jones | Labour | 946 |
| James Eagle | Liberal Democrats | 517 |
East1 seat
| Trevor Holt | Labour | 1,116 ✓ |
| Matthew Green | Conservative | 520 |
| Victor Hagan | Liberal Democrats | 384 |
Elton1 seat
| Denise Bigg | Conservative | 1,215 ✓ |
| Ray Watts | Labour | 1,126 |
| Robert Sloss | Liberal Democrats | 516 |
Holyrood1 seat · turnout 31.1%
| Victor D'Albert | Liberal Democrats | 1,475 ✓ |
| Susan Worsley | Labour | 609 |
| Jeanette Chrystal | Conservative | 365 |
| Rita McLoughlin | — | 98 |
Moorside1 seat · turnout 32.7%
| Beverley Sullivan | Conservative | 1,268 ✓ |
| June Drinkwater | Labour | 971 |
| Winifred Rohmann | Liberal Democrats | 427 |
Pilkington Park1 seat · turnout 33.2%
| Michelle Wiseman | Conservative | 1,238 ✓ |
| Pamela Walker | Labour | 1,020 |
| Fiona Davison | Liberal Democrats | 345 |
Radcliffe Central1 seat
| Anthony Isherwood | Labour | 1,455 ✓ |
| Eric Margieson | Conservative | 570 |
| Mary D'Albert | Liberal Democrats | 410 |
Radcliffe North1 seat
| Barry Briggs | Labour | 1,675 ✓ |
| Alan Bigg | Conservative | 1,514 |
Radcliffe South1 seat
| Anthony Cummings | Labour | 1,096 ✓ |
| Peter Wright | Conservative | 1,022 |
| Ashleigh Vincent | Green | 245 |
Ramsbottom1 seat · turnout 34.4%
| Barry Theckston | Conservative | 2,211 ✓ |
| Keith Rothwell | Labour | 1,085 |
| Janet Turner | Liberal Democrats | 565 |
Redvales1 seat
| John Smith | Labour | 1,088 ✓ |
| Iftakhar Ahmed | Conservative | 890 |
| Martin Robinson-Dowland | Liberal Democrats | 499 |
| James Axon | Green | 133 |
Sedgley1 seat · turnout 35.0%
| Ann Garner | Liberal Democrats | 1,237 ✓ |
| Gillian Campbell | Labour | 1,127 |
| Marilyn Vincent | Conservative | 433 |
St. Marys1 seat
| Margaret Gibb | Labour | 1,409 |
| Anthony Barlow | Conservative | 795 |
| Michael Halsall | Liberal Democrats | 563 |
Tottington1 seat
| William Johnson | Conservative | 2,053 ✓ |
| Victor McClung | Labour | 802 |
| David Henry Foss | Liberal Democrats | 569 |
Unsworth1 seat · turnout 32.4%
| Peter Ashworth | Conservative | 1,104 ✓ |
| Vera McClung | Labour | 1,063 |
| Geoffrey Young | Liberal Democrats | 435 |