Embattled Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi will still be able to receive a $138,000 yearly allowance, despite giving an undertaking to WA's highest court that she will not perform any official mayoral duties while she challenges a ban from office.

The Court of Appeal today agreed to put on hold an 18-month disqualification she received over an expenses scandal, in which she failed to disclose travel and gifts worth tens of thousands of dollars.

In a statement, Chief Executive Officer Martin Mileham said the City of Perth had received legal advice that the Lord Mayor remained entitled to the annual allowance as stipulated by the Local Government Act.

City of Perth financial documents show that in the last financial year, Ms Scaffidi received a base allowance of $135,909, which increased on July 1 to $138,219.

Ms Scaffidi, who has refused to resign her office despite three separate inquiries finding she acted inappropriately, tweeted that she would "retain the office of Lord Mayor".

A breach of 'gross carelessness'

Earlier this week, the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) ruled Ms Scaffidi should be banned from holding office for 18 months, a penalty that was set to begin from Thursday night.

The tribunal found she committed 45 breaches of the Local Government Act between 2007 and 2014, including failing to disclose a trip, paid for by BHP, to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Other gifts included a stay at the upmarket Cable Beach Club in Broome, paid for by property management company Hawaiian Investments, and a hospitality package for a concert at Leeuwin Estate courtesy of BHP Billiton.

Ms Scaffidi admitted five of the breaches, but denied wrongdoing in the other 40 instances, claiming she had either forgotten to declare the travel and gifts, or had not turned her mind to them when filling out her annual returns.

The tribunal concluded that her actions "were not a case of intentional wrongdoing but rather that the Lord Mayor breached the Act with gross carelessness".

Ms Scaffidi immediately lodged appeals against the findings and the penalty and today, with the agreement of state lawyers, the suspension was postponed until all the court proceedings are finalised.

Her lawyer said she had undertaken not to carry out the functions of her office, which the State accepted.

After the finding, she tweeted a statement saying she was looking forward to an expedited appeal being heard as soon as possible.

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'If you're not fulfilling the role, you don't get paid'

The Lord Mayor's duties will now be carried out by deputy Lord Mayor James Limnios.

Mr Limnios is up for election at next month's local government polls and if he loses the Perth City Council will have to elect another deputy mayor.

He said in the interim he was only looking forward, to stabilise the Perth City Council and concentrate on its ratepayers, residents businesses and employees.

Deputy Lord Mayor James Limnios will run the City of Perth while Lisa Scaffidi steps back to fight her ban from office. ( ABC News: Marcus Alborn )

Local Government Minister David Templeman said he would meet with Mr Limnios as soon as possible to discuss the determination.

"The City of Perth needs to make sure that they adhere to the intent of the order as well as of course ensure that the Local Government Act is adhered to," he said.

"It is important that the residents, ratepayers and businesses of the City of Perth are given confidence, and confidence is restored as soon as possible."

He said it was up to the City of Perth to determine whether Ms Scaffidi should continue to receive payment and allowances, given she is no longer fulfilling the role of mayor.

"I think there would be a general view by many people that if you're not fulfilling the role, you don't get paid for it, but that's a matter for the City of Perth to determine," Mr Templeman said.

Ms Scaffidi took offence at a suggestion from Mr Templeman that she no longer be referred to as the Lord Mayor, labelling it "incorrect and disrespectful".

"If the Minister is unhappy with the agreement that was reached, he should take it up with the CEO and his legal advisors rather than continuing to bleat about me," she said in another tweet.

The appeal is expected to be held in November.

A joke that needs to stop: Limnios

Mr Limnios said the City of Perth was currently being seen as a "joke" but this needed to stop.

"The City of Perth is the capital city, we are the premier part of the city, we should be the pride of the State," he said.

He said he would also be focussing on improving relations with the State Government and had already spoken with Mr Templeman.

"We need to be able to work together with the State Government and unfortunately that hasn't taken place thus far," he said.

Mr Limnios declined to comment at length on Ms Scaffidi's appeal bid, saying instead the Council needed to look to the future.

"I wish her all the best, but we've just got to move on."