Before (end of 1977) (42 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 35 · The Liberal Party 4 · Conservative 3 · Other 0
After (end of 1978) (42 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 35 · The Liberal Party 4 · Conservative 3 · Other 0
Ward results
Brays Grove1 seat · turnout 37.7%
| D. Howard | Labour | 741 |
| G. Groves | Conservative | 429 |
| P. Naylor | LIB | 108 |
Hare Street & Town Centre1 seat · turnout 36.3%
| J. Moore | Labour | 714 |
| E. Atkins | Conservative | 276 |
| A. Merryweather | LIB | 125 |
Katherines With Sumner1 seat · turnout 48.3%
| C. Johnson | Conservative | 458 |
| J. Lockhart | Labour | 359 |
| D. Bardell | LIB | 122 |
Kingsmoor1 seat · turnout 38.1%
| R. Rowland | Labour | 806 |
| L. Atkins | Conservative | 653 |
| L. Swanton | LIB | 251 |
Latton Bush1 seat · turnout 44.1%
| S. Edwards | Labour | 1,058 |
| M. Robertson | Conservative | 668 |
| I. Wilson | LIB | 119 |
Little Parndon1 seat · turnout 45.3%
| M. Carter | Labour | 1,066 |
| M. Bezdel | Conservative | 750 |
| D. Eldridge | LIB | 150 |
Mark Hall North1 seat · turnout 54.5%
| E. Morris | Labour | 692 |
| P. Geller | Conservative | 529 |
| M. Ramsay | LIB | 107 |
Mark Hall South1 seat · turnout 38.4%
| Sally Anne Anderson | Labour | 971 |
| J. Geller | Conservative | 477 |
| J. Mercer | LIB | 130 |
Netteswell West1 seat · turnout 35.8%
| M. Gerrard | Labour | 620 |
| P. Ramsay | LIB | 289 |
Old Harlow1 seat · turnout 51.8%
| F. Smith | Conservative | 1,089 |
| S. Firth | Labour | 1,030 |
| J. Jacob | LIB | 223 |
Passmores1 seat · turnout 37.6%
| M. Collyer | Labour | 814 ✓ |
| M. Moore | Conservative | 463 |
| T. Owen | LIB | 116 |
| A. Booth | COMM | 101 |
Potter Street1 seat · turnout 34.3%
| R. Bruce | Labour | 791 |
| S. Ward | LIB | 295 |
Stewards1 seat · turnout 44.9%
| P. McCallion | LIB | 755 |
| R. Didham | Labour | 607 |
| H. Morris | Conservative | 421 |