BRITAIN'S education experts and political bigwigs will descend on Swindon this week for a major annual conference.

The town has been chosen as the location for the Local Government Association autumn education conference, which will take place on Wednesday and Thursday at the Hilton Hotel.

Among those travelling to the event will be the Government's Education Secretary, Estelle Morris, who will speak at the final session.

She will be joined by the shadow education ministers for the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties, Damien Green and Phil Willis.

A total of 250 councillors and education officers and some of the most respected education experts from across the country will also be there.

The theme is Developing Best Practice in Education a somewhat ironic title in view of Swindon Council's dreadful Ofsted inspection failure in September.

It will focus on the Government's drive to improve standards in education and how this can be achieved.

The conference is considered so important in the eyes of the council that it has postponed its bi-monthly cabinet meeting.

The meeting, at which all the council's major decisions are made, was due to take place on Wednesday evening, but has been re-scheduled to the following Wednesday.

The council's education officers have teamed up with chiefs from Wiltshire County Council to host the conference.

Dr Mike Lusty, the director of education at Swindon Council, said the councils have lined up "an exciting and informative programme", with a choice of six workshops and six study tours aimed at showing 'best practice' in education provision.