Embattled local representatives will submit a revised motion – a compromise which will back Gaelic welcoming signs at the Ord of Caithness, Wick and Thurso only – at a meeting of the full Highland Council on October 30.

Landward Caithness councillor Willie Mackay, who was one of two local councillors to vote against the Far North motion that the county should be allowed to opt out of a region-wide policy governing new road signs, welcomed the fresh bid.

Mr Mackay admitted that he did not expect to see the blanket roll-out of bilingual signs he now believes is intended by the local authority.

"Taking everything on board this is the best road to go down and I'm proud to join my fellow councillors with this motion," he told the Caithness Courier.

"I'm convinced Gaelic supporters in Caithness will welcome this proposal, and the many people who oppose the cost of erecting bilingual signs will at least not have them in their face every time they turn a street corner."

The councillor believes the revised motion is the only option left which will resolve the ongoing difference of opinion over the topic throughout Caithness.

"We as councillors keep getting told and reminded at meetings between here and Inverness that the secret of success is working together as partners for all concerned – here we now have a great opportunity to do just that.

"Although it won't be an easy task, we have got to be solid and convince the attending Highland councillors that this is the best option and the only way to go for all concerned in Caithness."

Mr Mackay says he and his fellow councillors fully support plans to open the county's first Gaelic medium unit as well as the staging of the Royal National Mod in Caithness in 2010.

In March, councillors voted 36-29 against the motion for an opt-out from the pan-Highland policy on signs.

In a lengthy and impassioned debate at the council chamber in Inverness, Caithness members stressed that they were not anti-Gaelic but they made it clear that the county's heritage was mainly Norse and Pictish.

Mr Mackay added: "With this new motion everybody wins. If it doesn't go through and the council roll out the bilingual signs here, there and everywhere, then I'm afraid this will do little for Gaelic in Caithness."

Thurso councillor John Rosie, who opposed the erection of bilingual signs from the outset, said it would be difficult to predict the outcome of the vote.

"We feel no less strongly about the strength of our case but being reasonable people we'll put forward this compromise which we hope will be successful.

"Caithness people don't take kindly to having something stuffed down their throats but that's what we feel is happening, and that is absolutely wrong."

Wick councillor Graeme Smith referred to the motion as "tokenism" but said that "needs must when the devil drives".

He added: "I will welcome bilingual signs anywhere in the Highlands where they are appropriate. What I will not accept is an imposition from a centralising clique in Glenurquhart Road [the Highland Council's headquarters].

"I think there's a fight to be had for common sense to prevail. I wouldn't like to second guess the idiosyncrasies of 80 disparate people in the council chambers."

However, fellow Wick councillor Bill Fernie, who originally voted in favour of the signs, yesterday said he would not back the revised bid – a move he believes has a "very slim" chance of being accepted.

"I will be voting the same way as I did previously – in favour of what's in the Highland Council's Gaelic plan," he said.

"I feel that there is no harm in having Gaelic signs across the Highlands, we've got people in Caithness who speak Gaelic and would like to see it used on signs."

Mr Fernie, who chairs the local authority's education, culture and sport committee, pointed out that Gaelic has been recognised by the Scottish Government as an official language of the country and described many of the arguments against bilingual signage – including cost – as "specious".

The councillor added: "The chances of this motion getting through are very slim, councillors are likely to stick to their original vote."

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