Before (end of 2008) (45 seats, Elections Centre)
Liberal Democrats 23 · Labour 12 · Conservative 6 · Other 4
After (end of 2009) (45 seats, Elections Centre)
Liberal Democrats 22 · Labour 12 · Conservative 6 · Other 5
Ward results
Burnley Central East1 seat · turnout 37.8%
| Bobby Bennett | Liberal Democrats | 1,748 ✓ |
| Muhammad Baig | Labour | 1,676 |
| Paul McDevitt | BNP | 547 |
| Cosima Towneley | Conservative | 444 |
Burnley Rural1 seat · turnout 37.8%
| Margaret Brindle | Liberal Democrats | 1,552 ✓ |
| Susan Margaret Nutter | Conservative | 1,212 |
| David Thomson | BNP | 842 |
| Stephen Large | Labour | 719 |
Burnley South West1 seat · turnout 34.5%
| Jeff Sumner | Liberal Democrats | 1,896 ✓ |
| Jamie Cave | BNP | 855 |
| Maureen Martin | Labour | 689 |
| Ida Carmichael | Conservative | 589 |
Padiham And Burnley West1 seat · turnout 43.4%
| Sharon Wilkinson | BNP | 1,155 ✓ |
| Marcus Johnstone | Labour | 954 |
| Martyn Hunt | Liberal Democrats | 927 |
| Alan Marsden | Conservative | 726 |