| Election Name: | 1979 Colchester Borough Council election |
| Country: | Essex |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Previous Election: | 1978 Colchester Borough Council election |
| Previous Year: | 1978 |
| Next Election: | 1980 Colchester Borough Council election |
| Next Year: | 1980 |
| Seats For Election: | 20 out of 60 seats to Colchester Borough Council |
| Majority Seats: | 31 |
| Turnout: | 73.9% (31.2%) |
| Party1: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| Last Election1: | 37 seats, 53.1% |
| Seats1: | 13 |
| Seats After1: | 36 |
| Seat Change1: | 1 |
| Popular Vote1: | 30,316 |
| Percentage1: | 50.2% |
| Swing1: | 2.9% |
| Party2: | Labour Party (UK) |
| Last Election2: | 21 seats, 41.7% |
| Seats2: | 6 |
| Seats After2: | 21 |
| Popular Vote2: | 22,644 |
| Percentage2: | 37.5% |
| Swing2: | 4.2% |
| Party4: | Tiptree Residents Association |
| Last Election4: | 1 seat1, 2.2% |
| Seats4: | 1 |
| Seats After4: | 2 |
| Seat Change4: | 1 |
| Popular Vote4: | 2,541 |
| Percentage4: | 4.2% |
| Swing4: | 2.0% |
| Party5: | Independent politician |
| Last Election5: | 1 seat, 0.0% |
| Seats5: | 0 |
| Seats After5: | 1 |
| Popular Vote5: | 0 |
| Percentage5: | 0.0% |
| Swing5: | N/A |
| Council control | |
| Posttitle: | Council control after election |
| Before Party: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| After Party: | Conservative Party (UK) |
Elections to Colchester Borough Council were held in 1979 alongside other local elections across the country.
No Liberal candidate as previous (–6.2).
No Labour candidate as previous (–13.2).