Shul officers have decided to seek alternative purchasers for the land.

They are looking at other options due to protracted delays in finalising a deal.

Meanwhile, Childwall members will be asked to fund up to £75,000 worth of 'essential' repairs to the complex.

Childwall had been Stapely's preferred option for a new state-of-the-art care home to replace its ageing buildings.

A developer agreed to acquire the site in Mossley Hill for around £3 million, which would have financed the move and the construction of a new home.

For Childwall Synagogue, the land sale would have funded a refurbishment of the main shul and the construction of new complex containing a new hall, prayer room, kitchens, succah, mikva and offices.

But the deal was held up by the credit crunch and officers felt they could wait no longer.

In his report ahead of next week's annual meeting, acting chairman Norman Goldstone said any deal with Stapely could still be "years" away. For that reason the synagogue will now seek other buyers although he did not rule out resurrecting the Stapely option.

Alan Tinger, Tenant Services Authority (formerly Housing Corporation), statutory appointee to the Stapely executive, said: "Ever since it became clear that the economic situation was going to delay completion of the sale of Stapely's existing site, I have made it clear to Childwall shul's building committee that they must consider all options in the best interests of members in terms of their site and building.

"If this means going down a route that does not include Stapely, it will be perfectly understood and Stapely will consider other possible opportunities.

"It is likely that Stapely will make an announcement in the near future of the available options."

Mr Goldstone accepted that finding a new buyer will be difficult in the current climate.

He said: "I don't have to spell out that this is the worst time in the last decade to try and sell the land to a builder.

"Therefore it has been decided that we might have to look at alternative ways to fund any future development."

The existing redevelopment plans envisage keeping the main synagogue building with a reconfigured interior in line with a diminishing membership.

But that decline appears to have been steeper than first thought and it is now being suggested that the building be demolished and replaced by a much smaller complex.

Although the synagogue's architect deems this to be more costly, a number of options will be considered to be put to an open meeting of members in due course.

The synagogue's minister Rabbi ML Cofnas believes the delays and problems with the Stapely deal has resulted in a "pessimistic" outlook among congregants. .

In his report he writes: "In my opinion, this whole scenario has affected the attitude of members very significantly.

"Experiencing a new project, or in this case a building project getting off the ground, infuses all concerned with a renewed enthusiasm and with new and refreshed interest and vitality.

"It must be the finest way of renewing flagging spirits."

Meanwhile work is already underway on 'essential' repairs to the complex.

These had been deferred in the belief that building work would have been well underway with the completion of the Stapely deal.

Work has already started on upgrading the electrics in order to comply with insurance requirements along with repairs to the brickwork, the central heating flue and drains.

The roofs over the succah, Ada Shifrin Hall and kitchen have been damaged by a combination of bad weather, old age and vandalism and will require extensive work.

Mr Goldstone is warning members that the cost of this could reach as much as £75,000 to be funded by an appeal to members.

Mr Goldstone has agreed to be nominated for the post of chairman, a position he held for 11 years until he stood down last year in the hope that a successor would come forward.

He has decided to put himself forward for a further year but has agreed to stand aside should another suitable candidate come forward.