Basically, under local government law the purpose of a community board is to advocate on behalf of its constituents to the local authority (council) — its actual powers are just twofold:

(1) naming new streets (illustration of the recent Ferndale subdivision);

(2) it can make small grants to individuals and community groups for different local purposes.

Unusually in NZ, a member of the Kapiti Coast Community Boards (usually the chairman) also has speaking rights — but not voting rights — at full KCDC council meetings and meetings of the committees which deal with various matters.

Former Waikanae Ward councilor Tony Lloyd felt, rightly, that it also should have powers to authorise things like street, sidewalk and grass verge repairs, add extra trash bins and the like, which at present are matters that the council or one of its committees has to deal with.