The United Synagogue should make it easier for communities to dispense with under-performing rabbis, its council heard this week.

Stanmore Synagogue representative Saul Taylor said that while, in general, the US was served by a "very high quality rabbinate", it needed to do more to help ministers who were "not performing".

But where there was no improvement, it was "near impossible" for communities to part company with their rabbi.

His comments were made during a discussion of the newly published US strategy review, where the development of rabbinic excellence is a key recommendation.

Other subjects brought up at Monday's meeting included the complicated US fee structure and the impact of Jewish schools on Shabbat attendance.

One member suggested that since children had a daily diet of Judaism at their Jewish school, "their parents were saying that they don't need to go to shul".

In response to a comment that fees were "all over the shop", US treasurer Brian Markeson agreed that synagogues currently had "too many fee bands".

US president Stephen Pack also reported that planning permission had been obtained on the house formerly used by chief rabbis in Hamilton Terrace, St John's Wood, allowing the existing premises to be knocked down and an 11,000-square-foot building to be erected.

"We are going to market it now," he said. "If we get something we believe is an adequate offer, we will sell it."

Although he would not put a figure on the property, previous estimates have suggested its value could exceed £10 million. Mr Pack said the US would wait "until we feel we get the right value for it". Asked what would happen if it did not fetch the desired price, he replied: "Let's cross that bridge when we come to it. I think we are going to get a very good offer."