Before (end of 1979) (60 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 49 · Other 7 · The Liberal Party 3 · Labour 1
After (end of 1980) (60 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 48 · Other 7 · The Liberal Party 4 · Labour 1
Ward results
Axminster Town1 seat · turnout 44.4%
| R. Newbery | Conservative | 674 |
| D. Self | LIB | 416 |
| N. Putt | Labour | 109 |
Broadclyst1 seat · turnout 29.6%
| J. Guscott | Conservative | 372 |
| F. Yendell | LIB | 354 |
Budleigh Salterton1 seat · turnout 49.5%
| I. Hornby | Conservative | 1,112 |
| G. Pyne | LIB | 869 |
Clystbeare1 seat
| C. Tooze | Conservative | 0 ✓ |
Exe Valley1 seat
| J. Alford | Independent | 0 ✓ |
Exmouth Brixington1 seat · turnout 32.1%
| D. Height | Conservative | 822 |
| I. Grant | LIB | 294 |
| J. Douglas | Labour | 275 |
Exmouth Halsdon1 seat · turnout 45.5%
| P. Nicholls | Conservative | 1,044 |
| P. Wright | LIB | 529 |
| P. Allen | Labour | 295 |
Exmouth Littleham Rural1 seat · turnout 36.5%
| C. Roberts | Conservative | 1,005 |
| D. Kerr | LIB | 310 |
| J. Hobbs | Labour | 246 |
Exmouth Littleham Urban1 seat · turnout 39.3%
| L. Miller | Conservative | 670 |
| J. Mitchell | LIB | 345 |
| V. Day | Labour | 125 |
Exmouth Withycombe Raleigh1 seat · turnout 32.8%
| G. Chamberlain | LIB | 624 |
| J. Beresford | Conservative | 508 |
| J. Mills | Labour | 237 |
Exmouth Withycombe Urban1 seat · turnout 50.1%
| M. Mitchell | LIB | 673 |
| Nia Stevens | Labour | 472 |
| A. Handford | Conservative | 382 |
Honiton St. Michaels1 seat · turnout 34.1%
| A. Glanvill | Conservative | 574 |
| V. Howard | LIB | 438 |
Ottery St. Mary Town1 seat · turnout 38.2%
| W. Thorne | Conservative | 522 |
| R. Piper | LIB | 388 |
| Crawley | Labour | 299 |
Patteson1 seat · turnout 48.0%
| W. Gibbins | Conservative | 574 ✓ |
| Ingram | Labour | 148 |
| A. Davies | Independent | 76 |
| Clarke | LIB | 75 |
Seaton1 seat · turnout 39.6%
| R. Chapple | Conservative | 913 |
| N. Rogers | LIB | 757 |
Sidmouth Rural1 seat · turnout 35.9%
| P. Spencer | Conservative | 804 |
| P. Davidge | Independent | 576 |
| K. Hogg | LIB | 251 |
Sidmouth Town1 seat
| E. Whitton | Conservative | 0 ✓ |
Sidmouth Woolbrook1 seat · turnout 44.7%
| R. Pocock | Conservative | 641 |
| W. Turner | Labour | 627 |
| A. Franklin | LIB | 169 |
Woodbury1 seat
| W. Hallett | Conservative | 0 ✓ |
