SYDNEY'S bible belt has lost its bid to ban brothels, on the second day of the local government conference which was dominated by discussions of vice industries.

The Hills Shire Council tried to pass a motion calling on the state government to allow some councils with ''strong community and family values'' to ban the oldest profession, a move that prompted some of the most passionate debate of the conference. All councils in NSW must provide at least one zone within their local government area where brothels can be established.

Peter Dimbrowsky, a councillor from the area that is home to the Hillsong Church, said people in his area found brothels offensive and councils should be allowed to ban them.

''If there is an [local government association] that says there is a sufficient number of people that are … offended then I'd say as the elected representative of those people that we must have the opportunity in some forum to argue that case,'' he said.

But other councillors questioned whether there was no demand for brothels among Hills Shire residents.