Before (end of 1981) (55 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 32 · Labour 10 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 9 · Other 4
After (end of 1982) (55 seats, Elections Centre)
Conservative 28 · SDP-Liberal Alliance 15 · Labour 9 · Other 3
Ward results
Allington1 seat
| D Milner | Lib/Sdp | 1,333 ✓ |
| A Roberts | Conservative | 728 |
| M Morrison | Labour | 126 |
Bearsted1 seat
| C. Dancer | Conservative | 1,314 |
| P. Hooper | Lib/Sdp | 764 |
| D. Rawling | Labour | 145 |
Coxheath1 seat
| C. Teare | Lib/Sdp | 839 |
| C. Randall | Conservative | 359 |
| J. Lowe | Labour | 74 |
East1 seat
| D. Reaney | Lib/Sdp | 1,107 |
| J. Woods | Conservative | 979 |
| V. Swarbrooke | Labour | 192 |
Harrietsham & Lenham1 seat
| D. Bennett | Conservative | 792 |
| G. Vidler | Lib/Sdp | 710 |
| W. Farrell | Labour | 152 |
Headcorn1 seat
| E. Burnett | Lib/Sdp | 877 |
| D. Knowles | Labour | 138 |
High Street1 seat
| D. Freeman | Conservative | 727 |
| P. Yates | Lib/Sdp | 725 |
| G. Carey | Labour | 652 |
Marden1 seat
| J. Hall | Independent | 752 ✓ |
| P. Harvey | Lib/Sdp | 238 |
| A. Scott | Labour | 119 |
| D. Elliott | Independent | 54 |
NORTH1 seat
| C. Robertson | Lib/Sdp | 1,203 |
| M. Baker | Conservative | 757 |
| I. Smith | Labour | 297 |
Park Wood1 seat
| J. Swarbrooke | Labour | 904 |
| M. Basham | Conservative | 596 |
| J. Andrew | Lib/Sdp | 376 |
Shepway East1 seat
| K. Graham | Labour | 762 |
| F. Winckless | Lib/Sdp | 654 |
| J. Byrd | Conservative | 373 |
Shepway West1 seat
| H. Anstice | Lib/Sdp | 828 |
| G. Fairnington | Labour | 678 |
South1 seat
| Higgs J. | Conservative | 1,176 |
| W. Easterbrook | Lib/Sdp | 769 |
| D. Relf | Labour | 278 |
Staplehurst1 seat
| P. Harvey | Conservative | 1,190 |
| W. Stewart | Lib/Sdp | 755 |
| A. Hill | Labour | 255 |
Sutton Valence1 seat
| J. Mepsted | Conservative | 223 ✓ |
| P. Palmby | Lib/Sdp | 222 |
| M. Fairbank | Independent | 207 |
| P. Hennessey | Labour | 51 |
Thurnham1 seat
| J. Horne | Conservative | 477 |
| J. Goodwin | Lib/Sdp | 424 |
| D. Emery | Labour | 39 |