By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . Ed Balls today defended his decision to fire the head of the children's services during the Baby P scandal. Sharon Shoesmith has been awarded £679,000 after she claimed for unfair dismissal from her job Haringey's children's services. But Mr Balls, who was Children's Secretary in the Labour government at the time, said the 'payment leaves a bad taste in the mouth for everybody' and insisted he would make the same decision again. Ed Balls defended his decision to remove Sharon Shoesmith, who was given a £679,000 payout by Haringey Council after a judge ruled she had been unfairly dismissed in 2011 . Ms Shoesmith was sacked after a damning report into the death of Baby Peter in 2007 who was subjected to months of abuse. Shoesmith won her unfair dismissal case in October and was awarded the payout, the terms of which Haringey Council kept confidential. Now, the council's accounts reveal she was awarded £679,452 in compensation, according to recently-released figures. Miss Shoesmith was thrown out of her £133,000-a-year job as children’s services chief in the north London borough in 2008 on the instructions of then Labour Children’s Secretary Ed Balls. She had presided over Haringey social workers while they failed to save the life of 17-month-old Peter Connelly. The toddler died in 2007 after suffering months of abuse from his mother, her boyfriend and his brother, even though the family had been seen on 60 occasions by social workers, health workers and others. Today Mr Balls said he was 'frustrated' by the court's ruling, which he said left a 'bad taste in the mouth', but insisted that he would make the same decision again. He told BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show: 'I had a duty to children in Haringey and across the country to act. It was my judgment that that was the only way to keep confidence in children's services in Haringey and across the country. 'The Education Act gave me, as the secretary of state, the power to remove somebody from a statutory position if I judged public confidence required that. That was my judgment and I'd make the same decision today. 'Of course this payment leaves a bad taste in the mouth for everybody. I'm afraid that Sharon Shoesmith and her department failed and therefore it's hugely frustrating when somebody receives a payment.' Tracey Connelly (left), the mother of the abused toddler and Steven Barker, her partner at the time of the death . Mr Balls said the courts had ruled that Ms Shoesmith had been unfairly dismissed because he had not met her before removing her from her job. However he said he had been acting on the advice of government lawyers who told him it would have been improper to see her. Baby P suffered more than 50 injuries despite being on the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers, police and health professionals over the final eight months of his life. A series of reviews identified missed opportunities when officials could have saved the toddler's life if they had acted properly on the warning signs in front of them. Ms Shoesmith has said she does not recognise the figure of £680,000 while Haringey Council said it was unable to comment on the terms of the settlement. In a statement, the local authority said: 'Following the decision of the Court of Appeal in favour of Ms Shoesmith, and the court's direction that the parties seek to resolve the issue of compensation, the London Borough of Haringey and Ms Shoesmith have reached a settlement in this case. 'The terms of the settlement are confidential. We are unable to comment further on this matter.' A note in the accounts read: 'The settlement was reached following the decision of the Court of Appeal in favour of former Director of Children’s Services and the Court’s direction that the parties seek to resolve the issue of compensation. 'Payments under the settlement agreement fell into three parts: payments of salary, fees & allowances (£377,266); payments for compensation for loss of office (£217,367) and payments of employer pension contributions (£84,819).'
She was sacked from £133k job after an investigation into the toddler's death .
17-month-old died in 2007, despite 60 visits from health and social workers .
Now the extent of her compensation has been revealed in council accounts .
Then-Children's Secretary Ed Balls removed her from her post .
He says payout 'leaves a bad taste in the mouth for everybody'
By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . Ed Balls today defended his decision to fire the head of the children's services during the Baby P scandal. Sharon Shoesmith has been awarded £679,000 after she claimed for unfair dismissal from her job Haringey's children's services. But Mr Balls, who was Children's Secretary in the Labour government at the time, said the 'payment leaves a bad taste in the mouth for everybody' and insisted he would make the same decision again. Ed Balls defended his decision to remove Sharon Shoesmith, who was given a £679,000 payout by Haringey Council after a judge ruled she had been unfairly dismissed in 2011 . Ms Shoesmith was sacked after a damning report into the death of Baby Peter in 2007 who was subjected to months of abuse. Shoesmith won her unfair dismissal case in October and was awarded the payout, the terms of which Haringey Council kept confidential. Now, the council's accounts reveal she was awarded £679,452 in compensation, according to recently-released figures. Miss Shoesmith was thrown out of her £133,000-a-year job as children’s services chief in the north London borough in 2008 on the instructions of then Labour Children’s Secretary Ed Balls. She had presided over Haringey social workers while they failed to save the life of 17-month-old Peter Connelly. The toddler died in 2007 after suffering months of abuse from his mother, her boyfriend and his brother, even though the family had been seen on 60 occasions by social workers, health workers and others. Today Mr Balls said he was 'frustrated' by the court's ruling, which he said left a 'bad taste in the mouth', but insisted that he would make the same decision again. He told BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine show: 'I had a duty to children in Haringey and across the country to act. It was my judgment that that was the only way to keep confidence in children's services in Haringey and across the country. 'The Education Act gave me, as the secretary of state, the power to remove somebody from a statutory position if I judged public confidence required that. That was my judgment and I'd make the same decision today. 'Of course this payment leaves a bad taste in the mouth for everybody. I'm afraid that Sharon Shoesmith and her department failed and therefore it's hugely frustrating when somebody receives a payment.' Tracey Connelly (left), the mother of the abused toddler and Steven Barker, her partner at the time of the death . Mr Balls said the courts had ruled that Ms Shoesmith had been unfairly dismissed because he had not met her before removing her from her job. However he said he had been acting on the advice of government lawyers who told him it would have been improper to see her. Baby P suffered more than 50 injuries despite being on the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers, police and health professionals over the final eight months of his life. A series of reviews identified missed opportunities when officials could have saved the toddler's life if they had acted properly on the warning signs in front of them. Ms Shoesmith has said she does not recognise the figure of £680,000 while Haringey Council said it was unable to comment on the terms of the settlement. In a statement, the local authority said: 'Following the decision of the Court of Appeal in favour of Ms Shoesmith, and the court's direction that the parties seek to resolve the issue of compensation, the London Borough of Haringey and Ms Shoesmith have reached a settlement in this case. 'The terms of the settlement are confidential. We are unable to comment further on this matter.' A note in the accounts read: 'The settlement was reached following the decision of the Court of Appeal in favour of former Director of Children’s Services and the Court’s direction that the parties seek to resolve the issue of compensation. 'Payments under the settlement agreement fell into three parts: payments of salary, fees & allowances (£377,266); payments for compensation for loss of office (£217,367) and payments of employer pension contributions (£84,819).'
scandal. Sharon Shoesmith has been awarded leaves a bad taste in the mouth for everybody' was sacked after a damning report into the death thrown out of her £133,000-a-year job as Labour Children’s Secretary Ed Balls. She had Connelly. The toddler died in 2007 after the at-risk register and receiving 60 visits from social workers, police and health professionals