The Brisbane City Council has ruled that prayers within council chambers will stay despite almost 500 residents calling for them to be banned.

On Tuesday the council's Finance and Economic Committee discussed the 493-signature petition requesting the council remove religious prayers and references from all council business.

"The petitioners have particular concerns that a prayer is recited during meetings of council," the submission said.

"It is their view that prayers during council meetings impose the beliefs of one religion in an elected public forum, which compromises impartiality as Christian prayers may be inappropriate to people of other faiths or of no faith."