[BB_Eye]

It's tempting to believe that the same issues which lead to the death of Victoria Climbie at Haringey Children and Young People's Services are what caused the death of Baby P and it's true enough that Haringey Council seems rotten to the core, but surely Shoesmith, as head manager, tasked with reforming the service in the aftermath of Climbie's (and paid a massive salary for it too) should take responsibility for allowing it to get so out of hand. She had 10 years to prevent this from happening again.

The only vague argument I can see for compensating Shoesmith is Ed Balls using his executive powers to sack her instead of those in charge of the Local Authority (Haringey Council's own failings are another story). But the Children's Secretary's powers were there for a reason and he was within his rights to exercise them so I see nothing unfair in the procedure. She may have had her name dragged through the press, but her compensation was in wages lost, not in personal damages, lets bear that in mind. The "scapegoating" is something could easily have taken up with the press.

Incidentally I find it really crass that she has taken this case to appeal to get her six figure salaries repaid at a time when half of Haringey Children and Young People's Services are being made redundant, much less that the courts ruled in her favour.