# 1978 Southwark London Borough Council election

Elections to Southwark Council were held in May 1978. The whole council was up for election with a 28.7% turnout. There were 25 wards rather than the previous 23 and 64 councillors rather than 70.

## Election result

Southwark Local Election Result 1978 :
| Party | Seats | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 56 | 10 | 87.5 | 57.88 | 29,551 | 7.4 |
| Conservative | 8 | 4 | 12.5 | 36.13 | 18,450 | 14.26 |
| Liberal | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 3.81 | 1,943 | 6.29 |
| National Front | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 663 | 0.69 |
| Communist | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.78 | 399 | 0.19 |
| Workers Revolutionary | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 53 | New |

## Ward results
### Abbey

Abbey (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Charles Coveney* | 1,076 | 70.8 | |
| | Labour | James Dower* | 1,026 | 67.5 | |
| | Conservative | Peter Crockford | 346 | 22.8 | |
| | Conservative | John Heywood | 304 | 20.0 | |
| | Workers Revolutionary | Anthony Moore | 53 | 3.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,520 | 29.2 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Alleyn

Alleyn (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Robert Eadie | 900 | 41.4 | |
| | Conservative | Catherine Clough | 860 | 39.6 | |
| | Conservative | Alan Robson | 811 | 37.3 | |
| | Labour | Madan Kalia | 736 | 33.9 | |
| | Liberal | Jean Halden | 303 | 13.9 | |
| | Liberal | Ronald Halden | 286 | 13.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,174 | 37.7 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Barset

Barset (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Anthony Ritchie | 665 | 56.2 | |
| | Labour | Peter Cather* | 651 | 55.0 | |
| | Conservative | Andrew Davies | 350 | 29.6 | |
| | Conservative | Peter Hogarth | 334 | 28.2 | |
| | Liberal | Susan Clegg | 66 | 5.6 | |
| | Liberal | Anne Chopping | 63 | 5.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,184 | 27.6 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Bellenden

Bellenden (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Douglas Moore | 1,500 | 47.0 | |
| | Labour | Ann Ward* | 1,470 | 46.1 | |
| | Labour | Florence Sampson* | 1,334 | 41.8 | |
| | Conservative | Edward Boxall | 1,170 | 36.7 | |
| | Conservative | Robert Primmer | 1,113 | 34.9 | |
| | Conservative | Muriel Piper | 1,107 | 34.7 | |
| | Liberal | Alexander Baker | 253 | 7.9 | |
| | Liberal | Mary Packman | 245 | 7.7 | |
| | Liberal | Margaret White | 233 | 7.3 | |
| | Communist | Eric Hodson | 115 | 3.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,191 | 36.1 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Bricklayers

Bricklayers (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Leonard Henley* | 1,111 | 69.1 | |
| | Labour | Leonard Tucker* | 1,024 | 63.7 | |
| | Conservative | Charles Hayward | 417 | 25.9 | |
| | Conservative | Frederick Morgan | 399 | 24.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,607 | 28.4 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Browning

Browning (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Joseph Lees* | 1,201 | 61.2 | |
| | Labour | Patrick McSorley* | 1,191 | 60.7 | |
| | Labour | Frances Stroud | 1,168 | 59.5 | |
| | Conservative | Timothy Webster | 559 | 28.5 | |
| | Conservative | Peter Hensman | 530 | 27.0 | |
| | Conservative | John Erbetta | 495 | 25.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,962 | 25.7 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Brunswick

Brunswick (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jeremy Gordon | 1,335 | 59.1 | |
| | Labour | Ronald Watts* | 1,233 | 54.6 | |
| | Labour | John Lauder* | 1,232 | 54.6 | |
| | Conservative | Lilian Dawson | 594 | 26.3 | |
| | Conservative | Mary Ancient | 568 | 25.2 | |
| | Conservative | Douglas Mitchell | 555 | 24.6 | |
| | National Front | David Thompson | 205 | 9.1 | |
| | National Front | John Mullens | 199 | 8.8 | |
| | National Front | Stephen Wisdom | 166 | 7.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,257 | 28.6 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Burgess

Burgess (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ronald Slater | 925 | 62.0 | |
| | Labour | Trevor Ely | 921 | 61.7 | |
| | Conservative | Albert Rumble | 434 | 29.1 | |
| | Conservative | Clayton Wintrip | 398 | 26.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,492 | 26.3 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Cathedral

Cathedral (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | George Nicholson | 1,035 | 69.0 | |
| | Labour | Alan Davis | 964 | 64.2 | |
| | Conservative | Alfred Nuttall | 387 | 25.8 | |
| | Conservative | Desmond McCann | 361 | 24.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,501 | 27.2 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Chaucer

Chaucer (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Arthur Knight* | 1,420 | 61.9 | |
| | Labour | Joy Lee* | 1,325 | 57.8 | |
| | Labour | Bert Ray | 1,305 | 56.9 | |
| | Conservative | Beatrice North | 689 | 30.0 | |
| | Conservative | Patrick Stewart | 645 | 28.1 | |
| | Conservative | David Walker | 615 | 26.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,294 | 28.2 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### College

College (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bryan Hoskings* | 1,858 | 55.8 | |
| | Conservative | Margaret Jackson | 1,758 | 52.8 | |
| | Labour | Peter Bowyer | 1,216 | 36.5 | |
| | Labour | Eric Senger | 1,102 | 33.1 | |
| | Liberal | Malcolm Cogan | 208 | 6.3 | |
| | Liberal | Mimi Irving | 190 | 5.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,327 | 51.6 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Consort

Consort (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Robert Smyth | 794 | 59.9 | |
| | Labour | Frederick Francis* | 777 | 58.6 | |
| | Conservative | Johanna Holland | 423 | 31.9 | |
| | Conservative | James Uphill | 344 | 26.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,325 | 30.8 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Dockyard

Dockyard (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lucy Brown* | 1,468 | 71.3 | |
| | Labour | John O'Grady* | 1,454 | 70.6 | |
| | Labour | Stephen Kippin | 1,441 | 70.0 | |
| | Conservative | Percy Gray | 383 | 18.6 | |
| | Conservative | Kenneth Cook | 322 | 15.6 | |
| | Conservative | David Egan | 308 | 15.0 | |
| | Communist | Elizabeth Wright | 158 | 7.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,060 | 28.8 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Faraday

Faraday (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frederick Combes* | 1,505 | 64.3 | |
| | Labour | James Greening | 1,484 | 63.4 | |
| | Labour | William Slater* | 1,454 | 62.1 | |
| | Conservative | Gladys Cobley | 649 | 27.7 | |
| | Conservative | Basil Leach | 591 | 25.2 | |
| | Conservative | Francis Richardson | 572 | 24.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,341 | 23.1 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Friary

Friary (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mabel Goldwin* | 953 | 59.4 | |
| | Labour | Walter Allen | 913 | 56.9 | |
| | Labour | Joyce Somerville* | 873 | 54.4 | |
| | Conservative | Leslie Brown | 402 | 25.1 | |
| | Conservative | Evannie Smith | 356 | 22.2 | |
| | Conservative | George Noorden | 343 | 21.4 | |
| | National Front | Joseph Richardson | 134 | 8.4 | |
| | National Front | James Sneath | 126 | 7.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,604 | 27.0 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Liddle

Liddle (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Fowler* | 1,357 | 66.5 | |
| | Labour | Anne McNaught* | 1,326 | 65.0 | |
| | Labour | Michael Geater | 1,316 | 64.5 | |
| | Conservative | Ernest Keetch | 317 | 15.5 | |
| | Conservative | Joan Southgate | 245 | 12.0 | |
| | Conservative | Paul Watkinson | 227 | 11.1 | |
| | National Front | George Thompson | 185 | 9.1 | |
| | National Front | Peter Williams | 179 | 8.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,040 | 25.1 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Lyndhurst

Lyndhurst (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Payne* | 1,804 | 47.8 | |
| | Labour | Ernest Davies* | 1,789 | 47.4 | |
| | Labour | Evelyn Ackroyd | 1,777 | 47.0 | |
| | Conservative | Michael Frost | 1,454 | 38.5 | |
| | Conservative | Richard Clough | 1,430 | 37.9 | |
| | Conservative | Ashwinkumar Tanna | 1,353 | 35.8 | |
| | Liberal | Phillipa Beale | 254 | 6.7 | |
| | Liberal | Jonathan Hunt | 254 | 6.7 | |
| | Liberal | Michael Wilson | 210 | 5.6 | |
| | Communist | Linda Smith | 95 | 2.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,778 | 40.1 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Newington

Newington (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Siah Cox* | 1,405 | 60.7 | |
| | Labour | Charles Halford* | 1,375 | 59.4 | |
| | Labour | Catherine Clunn* | 1,365 | 59.0 | |
| | Conservative | Gerard Fergus | 751 | 32.5 | |
| | Conservative | Carole Hurst | 679 | 29.4 | |
| | Conservative | Anne-Louise Kearney | 679 | 29.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,313 | 27.9 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Riverside

Riverside (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas Cornish | 1,672 | 71.4 | |
| | Labour | Peter Flower | 1,623 | 69.3 | |
| | Labour | Coral Newell | 1,537 | 65.7 | |
| | Conservative | Alexander Padmore | 477 | 20.4 | |
| | Conservative | Linda Albon | 472 | 20.2 | |
| | Conservative | David Griffin | 402 | 17.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,341 | 36.1 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Rotherhithe

Rotherhithe (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Edward Rowe* | 1,206 | 70.4 | |
| | Labour | Charles Sawyer | 1,181 | 68.9 | |
| | Labour | Harold Young* | 1,163 | 67.9 | |
| | Conservative | Lorna Dowling | 373 | 21.8 | |
| | Conservative | Robert Dunn* | 317 | 18.5 | |
| | Conservative | Geoffrey Johnson | 313 | 18.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,714 | 24.7 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Ruskin

Ruskin (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Meakin | 2,552 | 62.5 | |
| | Conservative | Ralph Spilberg | 2,549 | 62.4 | |
| | Conservative | Tobias Eckersley | 2,544 | 62.3 | |
| | Labour | Joseph Essex | 1,017 | 24.9 | |
| | Labour | Claude Ramsey | 924 | 22.6 | |
| | Labour | Charles Gates* | 917 | 22.4 | |
| | Liberal | Brian Feeley | 365 | 8.9 | |
| | Liberal | John Graham | 356 | 8.7 | |
| | Liberal | Hazel Feeley | 346 | 8.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,086 | 46.6 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Rye

Rye (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Enid Boxall | 1,553 | 49.2 | |
| | Conservative | Ralph Spilberg | 1,487 | 47.1 | |
| | Labour | Herbert Ball* | 1,190 | 37.7 | |
| | Labour | Geoffrey Cravitz | 1,180 | 37.4 | |
| | Liberal | Marian Atkinson | 194 | 6.1 | |
| | Liberal | Robert Stead | 186 | 5.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,158 | 43.5 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### St Giles

St Giles (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Mitchels | 1,494 | 57.7 | |
| | Labour | Leslie Alden* | 1,481 | 57.2 | |
| | Labour | Henry Potter* | 1,473 | 56.9 | |
| | Conservative | Christopher Clark | 787 | 30.4 | |
| | Conservative | George Scott | 701 | 27.1 | |
| | Conservative | Peter Houston | 696 | 26.9 | |
| | Liberal | Janice Wilson | 143 | 5.5 | |
| | Liberal | Veronica Hunt | 130 | 5.0 | |
| | Liberal | Bernard Jenkins | 128 | 4.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,589 | 29.0 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### The Lane

The Lane (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Frank Brean* | 1,002 | 57.6 | |
| | Labour | Frank Rolfe* | 905 | 52.0 | |
| | Conservative | Anthony Elleray | 438 | 25.2 | |
| | Conservative | Terence Bray-Deacon | 408 | 23.5 | |
| | National Front | Leonard Rickard | 161 | 9.3 | |
| | Liberal | Ann Bostock | 94 | 5.4 | |
| | Liberal | Daniel Tierney | 78 | 4.5 | |
| | Communist | George Rogers | 31 | 1.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,739 | 32.6 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Waverley

Waverley (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | James Wheeler | 1,127 | 45.9 | |
| | Labour | Carol Turner | 1,126 | 45.9 | |
| | Conservative | Alan Smith | 994 | 40.5 | |
| | Conservative | David Haines | 980 | 40.0 | |
| | Liberal | Alan Clegg | 135 | 5.5 | |
| | Liberal | Edwin Bonner | 134 | 5.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,453 | 41.1 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

## By-Elections

Newington by-election, 21 September 1978 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Solomon Parry | 781 | 45.0 | −15.7 |
| | Conservative | Gerard Fergus | 698 | 40.2 | +7.7 |
| | National Front | David Teanby | 168 | 9.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Veronica Hunt | 90 | 5.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 21.2 | −6.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
The by-election was called following the death of Cllr. Siah Cox
Riverside by-election, 30 November 1978 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret White | 775 | 68.2 | −1.1 |
| | Conservative | Alexander Padmore | 274 | 24.1 | +3.7 |
| | National Front | Leonard Richard | 87 | 7.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 17.2 | −18.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
The by-election was called following the death of Cllr. Peter Flower
Rye by-election, 20 March 1980 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Pauline Moore | 1,331 | 47.8 | +10.1 |
| | Conservative | Richard Clough | 1,222 | 43.9 | −5.3 |
| | Liberal | Marian Atkinson | 230 | 8.3 | +2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 40.4 | −3.1 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
The by-election was called following the death of Cllr. Enid Boxall
The Lane by-election, 5 November 1981 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Alliance (SDP) | John Lewis | 916 | 47.1 | +41.7 |
| | Labour | Susan Goss | 711 | 36.6 | −21.0 |
| | Conservative | Ian Twinn | 245 | 12.6 | −12.6 |
| | National Front | David Teanby | 71 | 3.7 | −5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 33.4 | +0.8 |
| | Alliance gain from Labour | Alliance gain from Labour | Swing | | |
The by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr. Frank Brean