Before (end of 1978) (60 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 42 · Other 13 · The Liberal Party 3 · Labour 2
After (end of 1979) (60 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 36 · Other 15 · The Liberal Party 6 · Labour 3
Ward results
Kirkby Malzeard1 seat
| N. Nichol | Conservative | 890 |
| S. Crowfield | LIB | 421 |
No. 3 (Harrogate: East Central)3 seats · turnout 70.4%
| R. Welch | The Liberal Party | 1,055 ✓ |
| B. Crossthwaite | Conservative | 1,048 ✓ |
| B. Hillier | The Liberal Party | 946 ✓ |
| G. Crowther | The Liberal Party | 937 |
| M. McKenzie | Conservative | 912 |
| M. Smith | Conservative | 807 |
| B. Saunders | Other | 340 |
| D. Butterwick | Other | 281 |
| K. Holmes | Other | 223 |
No. 32 (Weeton)1 seat
| F. Rotherham | Conservative | 0 ✓ |
Ripon East3 seats
| J. McGarr | Labour | 1,446 |
| J. Briscombe | Conservative | 1,384 |
| J. Simpson | Independent | 1,141 |
| R. Simpson | Conservative | 1,132 |
| R. Bracken | Conservative | 1,079 |
| F. Kernot | LIB | 540 |