Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi is jetting off to the United States for a major conference as the Department of Local Government prepares to release what is expected to be a damning report into her failure to declare tens of thousands of dollars worth of travel and accommodation gifts.

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The four-day trip to Houston, Texas, next month was signed off by City of Perth councillors in December, to allow Cr Scaffidi to attend meetings as part of the World Energy Cities Partnership (WECP).

Ratepayers will foot the bill for the trip, estimated to cost about $12,000.

Cr Scaffidi defended the trip, saying Perth was a key founding member of the WECP and attending the annual meeting was part of her job.

"I believe that I'm elected to the Lord Mayor and it's necessary for me to be undertaking my role as best I can," she said.

"I always attend the meeting so it's only natural that I would be attending this meeting.

"I'm not aware of when the report will be handed down, and I can't just sit around waiting for it to land and not do the job that I'm elected to do."

She said she hoped the public would understand the need for her to attend, because participating in such events helped promote Perth and had flow-on benefits to WA and its economy.

Last October, the Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC) found Cr Scaffidi engaged in serious misconduct by not disclosing a $US36,000 ($49,533) all-expenses paid trip to the Beijing Olympics from miner BHP Billiton in 2008, as well as other undeclared travel.

It also found she had "failed in her duties" by not disclosing the gift in her annual return, along with tickets to the 2009 Leeuwin Concert from BHP and accommodation for the 2008 Broome Cup which she accepted from property management company Hawaiian Investments.

The Broome hospitality consisted of three nights' accommodation at the exclusive Cable Beach Club Resort and Spa.

Cr Scaffidi later voted to approve a $180,000 grant to a consortium that included Hawaiian Investments for a CBD feasibility study.

Following the CCC report, the department launched its own investigation to decide whether it would take disciplinary action.

It is understood the department's report, which is yet to be released, has found up to nine trips Cr Scaffidi failed to declare.

Scaffidi defends Bunker Bay plans

Cr Scaffidi is also expected to face further scrutiny at a council meeting next week where councillors are scheduled to consider whether to sign off on a $2,100 ratepayer-funded stay at Bunker Bay Resort to attend a two-day Property Council event.

A council meeting is due to consider a proposed trip by Cr Scaffidi to an event at Bunker Bay Resort.

The cost includes conference registration, an official dinner and accommodation.

Cr Scaffidi also defended that trip, saying she had attended the event before with the Property Council, which represented key city stakeholders.

"Absolutely money well spent," she said.

"It's vital that they get the opportunity to speak unhindered to their Mayor to understand what processes are in train at the City of Perth, and what impacts might come back to them as key property owners in the city.

"So this is a good opportunity for me to have valued face-to-face time with those key stakeholders."

Cr Scaffidi has faced criticism from both within and outside council that she is too close to the property industry.

However she shrugged the criticism off, saying it was critical she fostered a good working relationship with developers to help move Perth forward.

"I don't accept the adage that's out there that it's bad to be chatting to developers. Without developers we don't get cities," she said.

Cr Scaffidi also defended the Chatham House rule applied to the conference, denying it would hinder her ability to share what occurred with colleagues.

"My understanding of Chatham House rules is that you don't ascribe the direct quotes to individuals," she said.

"I think a lot of the learnings from that conference would be able to be discussed back here with our key executive and my councillor colleagues again, on a confidential basis."

Labor's local government spokesman David Templeman said it was not a good look for Cr Scaffidi to be undertaking such trips before the release of the department's report.

"The Lord Mayor is ill-advised," Mr Templeman said.

"Getting on with the job is making sure the house is in order, and I think there are a lot of question marks about how the City of Perth is functioning at the moment."