Meeting with Ben Gummer, my local MP

I had a very constructive meeting with my local MP last week about The Oak Tree, raising issues I've mentioned before here about planning permission and grants. I'm looking forward to hearing back from him, certainly he didn't sound too impressed with some of the grants being doled out for unsustainable agriculture, such as the ones described here:

http://www.ukia.org/eabooklets/EA%20Reservoir%20booklet_final.pdf

his basic message seemed to be:

Firstly the planning system will be simplifed (hooray!)

and

Secondly, grants are going to be cut back all round, which should at least make it a more even playing field for businesses like The Oak Tree.