Before (end of 1981) (39 seats, Elections Centre)
SDP-Liberal Alliance 20 · Conservative 16 · Other 2 · Labour 1
After (end of 1982) (39 seats, Elections Centre)
SDP-Liberal Alliance 21 · Conservative 15 · Other 2 · Labour 1
Ward results
Buckingham1 seat · turnout 43.6%
| H. Morris | Conservative | 1,160 |
| A. Miller | Lib/Sdp | 592 |
Churchill1 seat · turnout 39.6%
| C. Kemp | Conservative | 676 |
| R. Blunkett | Lib/Sdp | 663 |
| L. Cosgrave | Labour | 141 |
Eastbrook1 seat · turnout 49.3%
| Dunn R. | Conservative | 791 |
| D. Barnard | Labour | 645 |
| A. Williams | Lib/Sdp | 357 |
Hillside1 seat · turnout 37.6%
| G. Wey | Conservative | 865 |
| G. James | Lib/Sdp | 311 |
| J. Backwell | Labour | 262 |
Manor1 seat · turnout 47.1%
| J. Lewis | Conservative | 797 |
| W. Beales | Lib/Sdp | 651 |
| G. Aldrich | Labour | 98 |
Marine1 seat
| P. Shephard | RES | 0 ✓ |
Mash Barn2 seats · turnout 26.5%
| P. Beresford | Lib/Sdp | 697 |
| J. Hartley | Lib/Sdp | 688 |
| R. Harwood | Labour | 102 |
| H. Atkins | Labour | 84 |
Peverel2 seats · turnout 30.7%
| J. Meeten | Lib/Sdp | 720 |
| J. Megginson | Lib/Sdp | 687 |
| T. Titley | Conservative | 370 |
| B. Atkinson | Labour | 88 |
| H. Atkins | Labour | 82 |
Southlands1 seat · turnout 36.4%
| A. Edwards | Lib/Sdp | 629 |
| E. Hart | Conservative | 391 |
| M. Matthews | Labour | 178 |
Southwick Green1 seat · turnout 41.9%
| B. Ferrers-Guy | Conservative | 821 |
| W. Watson | Lib/Sdp | 475 |
| E. Edwards | Labour | 153 |
St Nicolas1 seat · turnout 43.1%
| J. Huber | Conservative | 881 |
| D. Attrill | Lib/Sdp | 547 |
| J. Bridson | Labour | 117 |
Widewater1 seat · turnout 37.9%
| B. Moulton | Conservative | 726 |
| B. Mantey | Lib/Sdp | 711 |
| W. Jacques | Labour | 110 |