Before (end of 1979) (48 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 39 · Conservative 9 · Other 0 · The Liberal Party 0
After (end of 1980) (48 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 37 · Conservative 9 · The Liberal Party 1 · Other 1
Ward results
Bowthorpe1 seat · turnout 37.4%
| B. Ferris | Labour | 1,489 ✓ |
| H Collins | Conservative | 321 |
| D. Ellis | LIB | 98 |
| D. Wimberley | Ecol | 31 |
Catton Grove1 seat · turnout 35.5%
| R. Thompson | Labour | 1,073 |
| M. Laycock | Conservative | 612 |
| V. Gibson | LIB | 130 |
Coslany1 seat · turnout 43.5%
| D. Styan | Labour | 1,633 |
| E Horth | Conservative | 821 |
| M. Cawdron | LIB | 284 |
Eaton1 seat · turnout 52.0%
| M. Nicholas | Conservative | 1,965 |
| C Knapp | Labour | 979 |
| M. Scutter | LIB | 282 |
Heigham1 seat · turnout 39.0%
| J. Miller | Labour | 1,530 ✓ |
| B. Harrold | Conservative | 499 |
| J. O'Neill | LIB | 116 |
| A. Panes | COMM | 50 |
Henderson1 seat · turnout 37.6%
| R. Phelan | Labour | 1,412 |
| S. Starling | Conservative | 601 |
| G. Hutley | LIB | 167 |
Lakenham1 seat · turnout 41.2%
| M. Clare | Labour | 1,619 |
| C. Williams | Conservative | 635 |
| A. Wheatley | LIB | 261 |
Mancroft1 seat · turnout 35.4%
| G. Murray | Labour | 1,368 |
| J Wyatt | Conservative | 552 |
| J. Phillips | LIB | 151 |
Mile Cross1 seat · turnout 32.5%
| D. Fullman | Labour | 1,468 |
| M. Ashton | Conservative | 237 |
| D. Williment | LIB | 104 |
Mousehold2 seats · turnout 36.2%
| D. Machin | Labour | 1,786 |
| P. Simpson | Labour | 1,743 |
| C. Browne | Conservative | 445 |
| A. Ross | Conservative | 435 |
| S. Beare | LIB | 136 |
| J. Swift | LIB | 129 |
Nelson1 seat · turnout 53.5%
| G. Wheatley | Conservative | 1,354 ✓ |
| E. Bartram | Labour | 1,031 |
| D. O'Neill | LIB | 416 |
| N. Macmaster | COMM | 52 |
St Stephen1 seat · turnout 49.6%
| P. Mercer | Conservative | 1,294 |
| C. Cameron | Labour | 1,097 |
| J. Wharry | LIB | 301 |
Thorpe Hamlet1 seat · turnout 55.3%
| P. Moore | LIB | 1,265 |
| J. Perkins | Labour | 1,219 |
| L. Page | Conservative | 696 |
Town Close1 seat · turnout 55.6%
| J. Sillett | Labour | 1,679 |
| J. Hogg | Conservative | 1,321 |
| B. Watkins | LIB | 270 |
University1 seat · turnout 43.5%
| M. Camina | Labour | 1,569 |
| C. Page | Conservative | 733 |
| C. Robinson | LIB | 184 |