DIGNITARIES gathered to recognise a Huddersfield man who has been honoured by the Queen. Jamil Akhtar (pictured), of Kirklees Racial Equality Council, received an MBE at Buckingham Palace on Thursday. Earlier in the week more than 100 people attended a reception in his honour at Huddersfield Town Hall. Mr Akhtar, 70, of Salendine Nook, has worked for the equality council for 10 years. He was a Labour councillor for Newsome on Kirklees between 1987 and 1999 and was also an official for the TGWU union.