Before (end of 1978) (78 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 56 · Conservative 14 · The Liberal Party 5 · Other 3
After (end of 1979) (78 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 57 · Conservative 11 · The Liberal Party 6 · Other 4
Ward results
Birtley2 seats · turnout 75.1%
| P. Cowie | LIB | 4,730 |
| K. Ryle | LIB | 4,373 |
| S. Potter | Labour | 4,265 |
| M. Robson | Labour | 3,974 |
| R. Hattam | Independent | 1,335 |
| M. McCurry | Independent | 713 |
No. 10 (Blaydon)1 seat · turnout 76.9%
| B. Baker | Labour | 2,434 |
| B. Brown | Conservative | 1,844 |
No. 14 (Felling: North & Central)1 seat · turnout 73.8%
| N. Buckingham | RES | 2,607 |
| W Maddison | Labour | 2,040 |
| R. Turnbull | Conservative | 617 |
No. 2 (Gateshead: Bensham Claremont & Chandles)2 seats · turnout 64.3%
| P. Conaty | Labour | 3,695 ✓ |
| F. Wood | Labour | 3,532 ✓ |
| J. Forster | Conservative | 1,711 |
| I. Wallis | Conservative | 1,645 |
No. 7 (Gateshead: Shipcote)1 seat · turnout 70.1%
| W. O'Kane | Labour | 1,922 |
| A. Ridley | Conservative | 1,299 |
| P. Reilly | RES | 190 |