9.Section 5 concerns the power of the Welsh Ministers to issue guidance to principal local authorities in respect of a joint application for voluntary merger, including guidance in respect of objectives any proposal should be intended to achieve; guidance on matters the principal local authorities will need to consider in formulating an application; guidance on how the consultation detailed under section 4 should be carried out; and any other guidance pertinent to making an application under section 3(1). Subsection (2) requires principal local authorities to have regard to any guidance issued by the Welsh Ministers in respect of an application for a voluntary merger; subsection (3) explains that this requirement can be met by having had regard to guidance issued before this section came into force.