Tory Education Secretary Michael Gove was told yesterday to respect parents who have voted resoundingly against plans to privatise their children's school.

Seventy-four per cent of parents voted against plans to force Dorothy Barley primary school in Dagenham, east London, to become an academy.

Barking and Dagenham Council called the referendum after parents complained that the consultation over academy plans was a sham.

Support staff union GMB is calling on Mr Gove to heed the verdict of parents delivered in the poll results last week.

The union pointed out to Mr Gove that the Tories claim their Localism Act transfers power from central government to communities.

Organiser Keith Williams said: "Those who care about the running of the school and the future of their children's education have made their views known in a democratic ballot vote and must be upheld.

"If the unions suggested disregarding the outcome of ballots they would be castigated.

"It would appear that the government's only priority is to increase the rate of academy conversions over the accountability to, and the wishes of, the communities and children's educational standards these decisions will affect."

The Star understands trade unions may mount a legal challenge if Dorothy Barley school is still handed to education privateer Reach2.

The Guardian revealed yesterday that academy privateers have siphoned off millions in taxpayer's cash.

They diverted public money into the pockets of company directors, listing payments as fees for consultancy, IT and legal advice.

Despite that, no rules have been broken and the practice is likely to continue.

Alastair Smith of the Anti-Academies Alliance said the revelations prove the real aim of Mr Gove's academies project is privatisation.

He told the Star: "It shows that the claim that academies are about charitable organisations is a fake.

"These charitable trusts are simply cover operations for people to make money out of academies and schooling.

"Although schools aren't yet run for profit, the expansion for-profit operations in school services, including the management of schools, is what the academies programme has been about."