Sharon Shoesmith, the director of children's services at Haringey Council, has been removed from her post over the Baby P scandal.

Children's Secretary Ed Balls said an independent report has painted a "devastating and damning" picture of failings by the north London local authority over the horrific death of the 17-month-old boy in August last year.

Earlier, the council's head, George Meehan, and its Cabinet member for children and young people, Liz Santry, both quit their jobs in light of "devastating" findings by inspectors into the council.

The removal of Ms Shoesmith and both resignations come three weeks after a trial found 17-month-old Baby P died at the hands of his mother, 27, her lover, 32, and their 36-year-old lodger, Jason Owen.

The tot died in his blood-spattered cot after suffering more than 50 injuries. He had a broken back, eight fractured ribs and had swallowed one of his teeth after being hit in the face.

This was despite being on the child protection register and having been seen more than 60 times by heath and social workers during his short life.

Mr Balls said people who deal with children's safety must be "accountable". He said he had ordered a new serious case review into Baby P's death, with an executive summary to be published by the end of March.

Hampshire County Council's director of children's services, John Coughlan, will replace Ms Shoesmith. He was seconded to Haringey last month to oversee children's services in the wake of the Baby P trial.

Mr Balls said he would be "astonished" if Ms Shoesmith received any pay-off or compensation for losing her job, but stressed that this was a decision for Haringey councillors to make.

He said: "Overall, the inspectors' findings are, I have to say, devastating. Their report sets out detailed recommendations, all of which must now be accepted in full.

"Having studied their report I've decided to take immediate action. My first priority is to put in place a new leadership and management team in Haringey children's services to ensure that vulnerable children in the borough are properly protected.

"I have directed Haringey council today to appoint John Coughlan as director of children's services with immediate effect. Haringey council will now remove the current director of children's services from her post with immediate effect."

Mr Balls told a press conference the public had been "shocked" by the case.

He said social workers, police and other officials who dealt with children's safety often worked in "challenging circumstances".

But he added: "They must also be accountable for the decisions and when things go badly wrong people want to know why and what can be done about it."

© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.