Before (end of 1979) (32 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 16 · Labour 8 · The Liberal Party 7 · Other 1
After (end of 1980) (32 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 15 · Labour 9 · The Liberal Party 7 · Other 1
Ward results
Broomgrove1 seat · turnout 36.6%
| B. Roberts | Labour | 747 |
| G. Spratley | LIB | 306 |
| K. Walsgrove | Conservative | 267 |
Castle1 seat · turnout 34.5%
| P. Dyer | LIB | 449 ✓ |
| D. Slater | Conservative | 294 |
| S. Foord | Labour | 192 |
| D. Phillips | Independent | 169 |
Central St. Leonards1 seat · turnout 33.0%
| B. Griffin | Conservative | 569 |
| I. Quick | LIB | 327 |
| W. Chalk | Labour | 292 |
Elphinstone1 seat · turnout 37.9%
| F. Parrott | Conservative | 566 |
| M. Sargent | Labour | 433 |
| G. Thorpe | LIB | 414 |
Gensing1 seat · turnout 31.6%
| J. Amsted | LIB | 528 |
| A. Porteous | Conservative | 440 |
| G. May | Labour | 178 |
Hollington1 seat · turnout 33.1%
| A. Morrison | Labour | 777 |
| J. Parrott | Conservative | 140 |
| C. Bond | LIB | 116 |
Old Hastings1 seat · turnout 44.7%
| A. Jobson | LIB | 613 |
| J. Cook | Labour | 499 |
| M. Cutts | Conservative | 453 |
Ore1 seat · turnout 33.5%
| C. Beaumont | Labour | 550 |
| E. Blackham | LIB | 449 |
| H. Elrick | Conservative | 338 |
St. Helens1 seat · turnout 37.9%
| P. Silk | Conservative | 824 |
| J. Lawrence | LIB | 401 |
| D. Caspar | Labour | 194 |
West St. Leonards1 seat · turnout 39.2%
| D. Karen-Alun | Conservative | 666 |
| R. Biggs | LIB | 499 |
| K. Roberts | Labour | 237 |
Wishing Tree1 seat · turnout 40.5%
| N. Hitchens | Labour | 833 |
| G. Humphreys | Conservative | 447 |
| G. Fleetwood | LIB | 230 |