Bermuda is to host an international conference next year that is expected to bring in hundreds of officials from around the world.According to the Corporation of Hamilton, city bosses have negotiated a deal to bring the annual World Conference of Black Mayors to the Island in 2014 through international communications agency, Marston Webb.Details about the conference have not been revealed however Hamilton Mayor Graeme Outerbridge said that a number of trips recently taken by municipality officials “were to investigate ways to bring new business to the City and indeed, Bermuda”.“We are in the process of retaining an international agency, Marston Webb, who made direct contacts for us and as a result, the Black Mayors’ Conference will be coming to Bermuda next year,” Mr Outerbridge added.Last month four of the council’s elected representatives, and an interpreter, attended the World Summit of Mayors in Cali, Colombia. The ten-day excursion is believed to have cost city ratepayers tens of thousands of dollars, and the cash-strapped Corporation was criticised for sending a delegation.On Monday Mayor Outerbridge defended the trip, saying that his team benefited “tremendously” from it. He said details of those benefits would be announced at a later date.Last month’s Colombia conference — which aspired to “generate economic, cultural, social, academic and spiritual integration” — was attended by more than 700 world leaders, including Jesse Jackson.A statement issued by Mayor Outerbridge also defended the Corporation’s decision to set aside an $850,000 ‘Members Expenses’ fund, claiming the money was “to address expenses that would occur throughout 2013”.He said the allocation did not affect services because it had come from monies put into a trust by the previous administration for expected legal costs. However, that $1 million nest egg was never spent and was returned to the Corporation after Mr Outerbridge’s Team Hamilton was elected in May 2012.This year the Corporation has spent more than $470,000 of the fund. Although the Corporation has yet to provide a breakdown of that expenditure requested by The Royal Gazette, Mr Outerbridge outlined where some of the money had gone.“The members’ expenses in the 2013 budget was funded by the money that had been put aside in the Democracy Trust under the previous administration,” he said.“There were no city services reduced or eliminated as a result of creating this budget item. The members’ expenses was put in place to address expenses that would occur throughout 2013. The City of Hamilton Council anticipated a number of legal expenses, which is where a large portion of the funds have been spent.“There were a number of legal issues that had to be addressed for the Par-la-Ville Hotel project, there is currently a court case with the BPSU, who challenged the City of Hamilton Council on management’s right to be a part of a collective bargaining agreement. The Bermuda Government is the first respondent and the City of Hamilton Council is the second respondent. Additionally, a number of legal issues concerning the waterfront had to be addressed.”