This blogger is heartened to read that an out of court settlement has been reached concerning the level of compensation to be paid by the insurers of Corby Borough Council to 19 residents of that town born with birth defects as a result of the Councils negligent removal of toxic waste from the site of a former steelworks. In an historic judgement last year the High Court ruled in favour of the injured parties however it appeared until very recently that the Council were not prepared to accept that Judgement and that they were disputing it. The settlement is confidential and will require the approval of the court for Claimants who are under 18 years of age. Claims of this nature are notoriously difficult and rely on expert evidence but common sense would appear to have been used in this case by the Council in their decision not to appeal. One wonders however whether it would have been better for the council tax payers of Corby if the Council had accepted liability in the first instance and thereby saved the costs of the 2009 trial? Submitted by Richard Scott
