Before (end of 1978) (35 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 13 · Other 12 · Conservative 7 · The Liberal Party 3
After (end of 1979) (34 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 17 · Other 9 · Conservative 7 · The Liberal Party 1
Ward results
Hatton1 seat
| F. Hanbury | Independent | 0 ✓ |
Hilton1 seat · turnout 81.8%
| P. Holland | Independent | 713 |
| T. Clark | Independent | 673 |
Linton2 seats
| J. Oakden | Independent | 1,234 |
| A. Jackson | Labour | 1,014 |
| C. Clamp | Independent | 836 |
| J. Jennings | Labour | 684 |
Midway3 seats · turnout 60.9%
| G. Holmes | Labour | 2,123 |
| W. Dunn | Labour | 1,802 |
| Lord W. | Labour | 1,749 |
| D. Adams | Conservative | 1,139 |
| D. Cook | Conservative | 999 |
North West1 seat · turnout 80.4%
| M. Clarke | Independent | 622 |
| A. Drury | Conservative | 399 |
Repton2 seats
| I Bentley | Conservative | 1,655 ✓ |
| S Meinertzhagen | Conservative | 1,365 ✓ |
| A Auckland | Labour | 570 |
| C Braithwaite | Labour | 529 |
Swadlincote3 seats
| R. Nott | Labour | 1,571 |
| J Moulson | Labour | 1,503 |
| C. Canner | Labour | 1,360 |
| B. Martin | LIB | 885 |
| M. Martin | LIB | 777 |
| J. Franklin | Conservative | 665 |
| M. Tomlin | Conservative | 631 |
| D. Lomas | Conservative | 619 |