Before (end of 1979) (27 seats, Elections Centre)
The Liberal Party 13 · Labour 6 · Conservative 5 · Other 3
After (end of 1980) (27 seats, Elections Centre)
The Liberal Party 15 · Labour 5 · Conservative 4 · Other 3
Ward results
Aylestone1 seat · turnout 29.8%
| B. Thomas | Conservative | 497 |
| G. Bew | LIB | 443 |
| H. Grocutt | Labour | 283 |
Belmont1 seat · turnout 32.7%
| N. Townsend | LIB | 750 |
| A. Chappell | Labour | 523 |
| G. Delaney | Conservative | 125 |
Central1 seat · turnout 32.6%
| M. Proctor | LIB | 632 |
| H. Newton | Conservative | 378 |
| R. Aplin | Labour | 249 |
Hinton1 seat · turnout 27.9%
| J. McMahon | Independent | 589 |
| J. Walker | Labour | 300 |
| B. Philpott | Conservative | 212 |
St. Martins1 seat · turnout 29.1%
| W. Little | Labour | 594 |
| J. Double | LIB | 275 |
| M. Ratty | Conservative | 255 |
St. Nicholas1 seat · turnout 39.3%
| W. Vowles | LIB | 635 ✓ |
| G. Ratty | Conservative | 383 |
| N. Richards | Labour | 364 |
| R. Summers | Independent | 62 |
Three Elms1 seat · turnout 33.2%
| L. Andrews | LIB | 586 |
| J. Finney | Conservative | 470 |
| P. Hogben | Labour | 272 |
Tupsley1 seat · turnout 46.0%
| N. Innes | LIB | 1,033 |
| F. Blackler | Conservative | 810 |
| T. Clapham | Labour | 222 |