OXFORDSHIRE County Council's chief representative for Oxford's £120m Flood Alleviation Scheme said he was "surprised" by a statement from Oxford University implying it did not need to contribute funding.

Deputy council leader Rodney Rose said he had always made it clear at meetings with the university more cash would be needed to create the 5km channel and related works.

The flood scheme partnership, which includes the Environment Agency, local authorities and business leaders, currently has about £96m funding pledged towards the £120m project.

Mr Rose, who co-chairs the partnership, said: "I never said we didn't want a contribution from them, and I am a little surprised by the statement.

"I will certainly make sure it comes up at the next meeting.

When the EA revealed its final route plan for the channel last week, partnership members said they were still hoping to get financial support from major city organisations such as BMW, Siemens and Oxford University.

But Oxford University responded to those hopes by issuing a statement saying: "The university is offering the free use of our some of our land at Egrove Park for the construction of the channel and to maintain those parts of the system which pass through our land.

"We have been assured in our discussions that the project is viable with the funding it currently has from other sources.

"We have fully supported the scheme from the beginning and will continue to work with the city, county and Local Enterprise Partnership on this project which is so important to Oxfordshire."

Mr Rose added: "We were always expecting a shortfall and we were hoping we could go to local beneficiaries of the scheme to help meet that."

For example, Mr Rose said Thames Water had already said it would contribute to the cost once it had examined what savings the scheme could make to its work.

The last major flooding in Oxford, which closed Botley and Abingdon Road for days in January and February 2014, was estimated to have cost the local economy millions in lost work days and missed deliveries.

Later that year Prime Minister David Cameron pledged his official support and £42m towards the Flood Alleviation Scheme.

Flood scheme partnership members, Oxford City Council leader Bob Price in particular, have long said they hoped major businesses in the city would see the potential economic benefits of the scheme and agree to contribute to its cost.

The EA said last week it hoped publishing the final route plan would help further the business case for the scheme and encourage businesses to contribute.

The flood alleviation channel would run from a field next to Seacourt park-and-ride on Botley Road, south through fields and join the river Thames at Kennington.

Construction is currently due to start in 2018.