A push for Wānaka to secede from Queenstown Lakes District Council has moved to the next stage of action by the Local Government Commission.

The move follows a petition started by Wānaka mechanic Dean Rankin which gathered 1822 signatures supporting a bid to split from Queenstown.

The commission yesterday announced the petition names had been checked against the electoral roll and the petition met the 10% threshold to be a valid application.

It would now decide whether or not to trigger an investigation by looking at the merits of the application and consulting with the council, iwi, the applicants, the community and other stakeholders.

"If the commission decides to undertake an investigation, it will adopt a reorganisation investigation process and then carry out the investigation."

Mr Rankin, who has lived in Wānaka for more than four decades, was stoked at the news.

"I'm more than happy with the progress."

He declined to comment further, but previously told the ODT he was "fed up with the direction we are going with the Queenstown Lakes District Council".

On the support he got after starting the petition in 2021 he said: "Everyone seems to say the same thing, all our ratepayers’ money is going over the hill and what are we seeing back for it?"

Queenstown Lakes Mayor Glyn Lewers was diplomatic over the process.

"While not wanting to pre-empt the outcome of that process, my personal view at this stage is that it’s in the Upper Clutha’s best interests to remain part of the existing Queenstown Lakes District Council ward boundary," he said.

"This is especially so in the context of the pending Review into the Future for Local Government, resource management system reform and Three Waters Reform Programme."

Council chief executive Mike Theelen said it was business as usual.

"It’s important to emphasise that the level of council investment in the Upper Clutha, as outlined in previous annual/ten year plans and the current draft annual plan 2023-2024, is commensurate with the ratepayer base on either side of the Crown Range," he said.

"The Upper Clutha is proportionately represented around the council table. In addition, the Wānaka-Upper Clutha Community Board plays an important, elected governance role within that ward."