Before (end of 2002) (60 seats, Elections Centre)
Liberal Democrats 26 · Conservative 24 · Labour 6 · Other 4
After (end of 2003) (60 seats, Elections Centre)
Liberal Democrats 25 · Conservative 24 · Other 6 · Labour 5
Ward results
Berechurch1 seat
| Susan Brooks | Liberal Democrats | 746 ✓ |
| Janet Margaret Thomas | Labour | 404 |
| Sarah McLean | Conservative | 274 |
Birch and Winstree1 seat
| Peter Crowe | Conservative | 966 ✓ |
| Barry Ronald Woodward | Liberal Democrats | 190 |
| Audrey Spencer | Labour | 183 |
Castle1 seat
| Kenneth Jones | Liberal Democrats | 903 ✓ |
| Pauline Lucas | Conservative | 404 |
| Mark Cann | Labour | 210 |
| Walter Schwarz | Green | 132 |
Christ Church1 seat
| M. Hunt | Liberal Democrats | 662 ✓ |
| Buston R. | Conservative | 587 |
| D. Canning | Labour | 124 |
Copford and West Stanway1 seat
| Elizabeth Blundell | Conservative | 353 ✓ |
| Patrick Mead | Independent | 70 |
| Anna Trudgian | Labour | 40 |
| Anthony Scott-Boutell | Liberal Democrats | 37 |
Fordham and Stour1 seat
| Nigel Chapman | Conservative | 797 ✓ |
| Wilma Sutton | Liberal Democrats | 161 |
| Gareth Griffiths | Labour | 144 |
Great Tey1 seat
| Peter John Chillingworth | Conservative | 645 ✓ |
| Carolyn Catney | Liberal Democrats | 196 |
| Alan Trudgian | Labour | 108 |
Mile End1 seat
| Anne Turrell | Liberal Democrats | 589 ✓ |
| Shahid Husain | Conservative | 400 |
| Janet Smith | Labour | 171 |
| Jane Chinnery | Independent | 124 |
| Matt Bryan | Green | 40 |
New Town1 seat
| Margaret Fisher | Liberal Democrats | 767 ✓ |
| Glenn Bath | Conservative | 325 |
| Jill Green | Labour | 281 |
Prettygate1 seat
| Sandra Gray | Liberal Democrats | 1,044 ✓ |
| Ron Levy | Conservative | 935 |
| Luke Powell Dopson | Labour | 182 |
Shrub End1 seat
| Richard William Bourne | Labour | 596 ✓ |
| Alan Herbert Scattergood | Conservative | 530 |
| Barbara Williamson | Liberal Democrats | 408 |
| John Coombes | — | 24 |
Stanway1 seat
| Lesley Scott-Boutell | Liberal Democrats | 918 ✓ |
| John Reeves | Conservative | 610 |
| John Spademan | Labour | 222 |
| Results | — | 0 |
Tiptree1 seat
| Margaret Crowe | Conservative | 546 ✓ |
| Anne Burgess | Independent | 542 |
| Alan Charles Leslie Mogridge | Labour | 415 |
| Stella Barnes | Green | 56 |
West Bergholt & Eight Ash Green1 seat · turnout 30.2%
| Jill Todd | Conservative | 774 |
| Una Jones | Liberal Democrats | 238 |
| Ian Yates | Labour | 149 |
| Jill Tod | Conservative | 774 ✓ |
West Mersea1 seat
| Margaret Kimberley | Conservative | 1,107 ✓ |
| Bry Mogridge | Labour | 359 |
| Ronald Baker | Liberal Democrats | 249 |
Wivenhoe Cross2 seats
| David Adams | Conservative | 313 ✓ |
| Eugene Kraft | Conservative | 264 ✓ |
| Aulay Mackenzie | Labour | 172 |
| Peter Bishop | Labour | 142 |
| Barry James | Liberal Democrats | 101 |
Wivenhoe Quay1 seat
| Robert Davies | Independent | 488 ✓ |
| Kenneth Rogers | Conservative | 394 |
| Stephen Ford | Labour | 336 |
| Carla Fox | Green | 142 |