CITIZENS SOUTH
                               BANKING CORPORATION
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


     I hereby appoint Paul L. Teem,  Jr.; Gary F. Hoskins;  Roseanne W. Nichols;
Robert B. Pomerenk,  Esquire; or Edward A. Quint, Esquire, to act as my true and
lawful attorney-in-fact with authority to execute on my behalf any Form 3, 4, or
5, or any  amendment  thereto  required  to be filed by Citizens  South  Banking
Corporation under Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
and the rules  and  regulations  promulgated  thereunder,  with the  appropriate
regulatory  authorities and to do all things incident and necessary to that end,
until such time as I notify Mr. Teem, Mr. Hoskins,  Mrs. Nichols,  Mr. Pomerenk,
and/or Mr.  Quint in writing  that his or her  authority  to act on my behalf in
this manner has been withdrawn.

     I have signed this power of attorney on October 17, 2005.




                            by:       /s/ Kimberly Goins Cooke
                                 -----------------------------------------------



                            In the presence of   /s/ Betty B. Gaddis
                                               ---------------------------------

                            at Gastonia, North Carolina.