Before (end of 1979) (42 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 35 · Conservative 6 · The Liberal Party 1 · Other 0
After (end of 1980) (42 seats, Elections Centre)
Labour 33 · Conservative 7 · The Liberal Party 2 · Other 0
Ward results
Brays Grove1 seat · turnout 31.0%
| D. Burnham | Labour | 775 |
| M. Ashcroft | Conservative | 258 |
Great Parndon1 seat · turnout 41.0%
| J. Cave | Labour | 837 |
| R. Weyers | Conservative | 412 |
| T. Owen | LIB | 114 |
Hare Street & Town Centre1 seat · turnout 35.1%
| J. Hobbs | Labour | 689 |
| E. Atkins | Conservative | 243 |
| A. Merryweather | LIB | 135 |
Kingsmoor1 seat · turnout 35.2%
| T. Kent | Labour | 863 |
| L. Atkins | Conservative | 617 |
| L. Swanton | LIB | 122 |
Latton Bush1 seat · turnout 40.2%
| K. Edwards | Labour | 1,172 |
| R. Brown | Conservative | 428 |
| C. Merryweather | LIB | 104 |
Little Parndon1 seat · turnout 38.5%
| D. Condon | Labour | 1,008 |
| M. Tombs | Conservative | 338 |
| P. Ramsay | LIB | 329 |
Mark Hall North1 seat · turnout 59.6%
| T. Farr | Labour | 967 |
| J. Mercer | LIB | 435 |
Netteswell East1 seat · turnout 35.8%
| A. Graham | Labour | 741 |
| P. Harries | Conservative | 268 |
| D. Eldridge | LIB | 81 |
Netteswell West1 seat · turnout 37.3%
| J. Desormeaux | Labour | 628 |
| F. Burgoyne | Conservative | 175 |
| W. Mitchell | LIB | 118 |
Old Harlow1 seat · turnout 51.0%
| H. Dutton | Conservative | 1,166 |
| S. Firth | Labour | 1,151 |
Potter Street1 seat · turnout 38.7%
| V. Phelps | Labour | 907 |
| L. Crust | Conservative | 200 |
| S. Ward | LIB | 132 |