Before (end of 1979) (39 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 30 · The Liberal Party 5 · Labour 4 · Other 0
After (end of 1980) (39 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 26 · Labour 7 · The Liberal Party 6 · Other 0
Ward results
Belfairs1 seat
| B. Marriott | Conservative | 1,987 |
| B. Griggs | LIB | 1,081 |
| H. Hurst | Labour | 433 |
Eastwood1 seat
| M. Myers | Conservative | 1,717 |
| N. Goodman | LIB | 1,257 |
| N. Boorman | Labour | 455 |
Leigh1 seat
| G. Robson | LIB | 2,352 |
| M. Dolby | Conservative | 2,004 |
| L. Davidson | Labour | 283 |
Milton1 seat
| G. Baum | Conservative | 1,116 ✓ |
| P. Griffiths | Labour | 714 |
| M. Burstin | Independent | 617 |
| R. Wood | LIB | 238 |
Prittlewell1 seat
| P. Herbert | LIB | 1,812 |
| E. Barham | Conservative | 1,483 |
| E. Wilson | Labour | 775 |
Shoebury2 seats
| G. Caplan | Labour | 1,901 |
| A. Hurst | Labour | 1,834 |
| D. Ascroft | Conservative | 1,778 |
| B. Kelly | Conservative | 1,509 |
| B. Ayling | LIB | 846 |
| J. O'Neill | LIB | 734 |
Southchurch1 seat
| E. Lockhart | Conservative | 2,040 |
| A. Pendle | Labour | 1,181 |
| J. Flaum | LIB | 492 |
St. Luke's1 seat
| R. Copley | Labour | 1,477 |
| N. Goldsmith | Conservative | 844 |
| R. O'Neill | LIB | 341 |
Thorpe1 seat
| E. Pollitt | Conservative | 2,194 ✓ |
| N. Baker | LIB | 569 |
| P. Hurley | Labour | 531 |
| G. Martin | NEW BRIT | 294 |
Victoria1 seat
| B. Bowyer | Labour | 1,767 |
| D. Hopkins | Conservative | 1,057 |
| D. Evans | LIB | 820 |
Westborough1 seat
| R. Price | LIB | 1,421 |
| R. Brown | Conservative | 1,265 |
| N. Smith | Labour | 1,159 |