Elections to the Adur District Council were held on 1 May 1980, with one third of the council up for election. There was an additional vacancy in the Southwick Green ward, and no elections for the single-member ward St Marys. Overall turnout dropped to 48.7%.
The election resulted in the Liberals gaining control of the council from the Conservatives.
This resulted in the following composition of the council:
+/- figures represent changes from the last time these wards were contested.