WELLINGTON MONUMENT

That this House recognises the 154 year history of the Wellington Monument in Somerset, which was built in memory of the Duke of Wellington and presides over the town of Wellington in Taunton Deane; celebrates its position as an iconic symbol in the South West, valued by locals and visitors to Wellington alike; regrets that it has been closed to the public since 2005 due to dangers of falling masonry; expresses concern at the National Trust's recent statement to the Wellington Museum Society that leaving the Monument to crumble away `was an option'; and urges the National Trust, which owns it, to support the will of the local community and save Wellington Monument so that it can be restored to its former glory for the benefit of the local town and all visitors to the South West.