text: The settlement was mediated by retired judge Sir Henry Brooke. Before settlement had been reached, Chris Mallender explained: "We have reached a view that there are going to be no outright winners in this. In the circumstances we feel that its better that we try and find a middle ground, we settle in a way thats fair to the families, but is also fair in terms of the residual burden on the council tax payer."
  On 16 April 2010 the council released a joint statement with the families solicitors announcing it was dropping its appeal and had agreed a financial settlement with 19 families. Chris Mallender said: "The council recognises that it made mistakes in its clean-up of the former British Steel site years ago and extends its deepest sympathy to the children and their families. Although I accept that money cannot properly compensate these young people for their disabilities and for all that they have suffered to date and their problems in the future, the council sincerely hopes that this apology coupled with todays agreement will mean that they can now put their legal battle behind them and proceed with their lives with a greater degree of financial certainty." The financial terms of the settlement remained confidential, and the agreement forbids disclosure of the financial arrangements. On the subject of cost, Mallender said: "Every £1m of cost involves a payment £5 per household in Corby on average, per year, for the next 20 years. So, simple maths: if the overall bill is £5m, it's £25 per household for 20 years."
  The settlement also encompassed three children not covered by the original ruling, including India Harrison and Ashleigh Custance.