Before (end of 1978) (39 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 29 · The Liberal Party 5 · Labour 5 · Other 0
After (end of 1979) (39 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 30 · The Liberal Party 5 · Labour 4 · Other 0
Ward results
Belfairs1 seat
| V. Smith | Conservative | 4,000 ✓ |
| P. Oxley | LIB | 2,422 |
| E. Newman | Labour | 892 |
| S. McGovern | NF | 162 |
Blenheim1 seat
| E. Watson-Lamb | Conservative | 3,432 ✓ |
| J. Allen | LIB | 2,333 |
| C. Newman | Labour | 1,252 |
| P. Twomey | NF | 103 |
Eastwood1 seat
| V. Kaye | Conservative | 3,856 |
| N. Goodman | LIB | 2,570 |
| N. Boorman | Labour | 934 |
Leigh1 seat
| A. Crystall | LIB | 4,026 |
| L. Woodward | Conservative | 3,090 |
| H. Mapp | Labour | 423 |
Milton1 seat
| J. Carlile | Conservative | 3,229 ✓ |
| A. Scott | Labour | 2,144 |
Prittlewell1 seat
| J. Armitage | LIB | 3,201 |
| E. Barham | Conservative | 2,925 |
| E. Wilson | Labour | 1,403 |
Shoebury1 seat
| B. Hennessey | Conservative | 3,998 |
| J. Hodgkins | Labour | 2,555 |
| J. O'Neill | LIB | 1,016 |
Southchurch1 seat
| D. Garston | Conservative | 4,607 |
| P. Harrison | Labour | 2,550 |
St. Luke's1 seat
| B. Fowler | Conservative | 2,861 |
| G. Caplan | Labour | 2,821 |
| V. Twomey | NF | 220 |
Thorpe1 seat
| B. Scholfield | Conservative | 5,388 |
| M. Hurley | Labour | 1,579 |
Victoria1 seat
| G. Elvin | Labour | 3,206 |
| D. Hopkins | Conservative | 3,163 |
Westborough1 seat
| G. Littler | Conservative | 2,584 |
| A. Hurst | Labour | 2,035 |
| R. Price | LIB | 1,943 |