Been in Caithness for a few days......
First.......Nearly every Town and Village is Caithness has ........
Approximately 8 signs on each side....
e.g. Signs with 3 then 2 then 1 bars. Then usually 2 speed signs, and name signs on each side of the road=2, and sometimes with beautiful graphics. Some areas have another older sign which serves the purpose. 16(sixteen signs, some at hundreds of £'s.
Berriedals Brae had an 800/600/400/200/100 yard signs and a go slow sign.

And the area is cutting back on Hospitals and medical care? You could half/maybe quarter them and save many thousands of £'s. The further South you go the less signs.. perhaps someone do a Freedom of Information request to see the cost of signs over the past years.. That would tell you.

I also noticed some quiet side roads newly tarred, and the main reads full of holes?

Just an observation....